Limonium collinum

‘Sea Spray’

WHITE PERENNIAL STATICE

Syn. Goniolimon collinum

Limonium collinum ‘Sea Spray’
PERENNIAL STATICE
Syn. Goniolimon collinum / G. incanum

Most Statice are annuals, but beautiful Limonium collinum ‘Sea Spray’ is an evergreen perennial.
So you have it permanently, for spectacular mists of summer and autumn blooms, year after year.
Not permitted for entry to WA

Airy clouds of tiny white star flowers

Tiny white papery flowers hover like stars, from mid-summer on into autumn.
The blooms are very misty fine, and borne in great billowing heads held on sturdy leafless stems – so perfect cut for vases and bouquets.

Perfect blooms for floristry

Limonium collinum ‘Sea Spray’ has been only relatively recently bred and released.
But it has rapidly become very popular for both garden and commercial cut flower crops.
The breeders named it ‘Sea Spray’ because the froth of star flowers resembled white foam on the crests of waves.

Commercial cut flower crop

Florists find it indispensable as a commercial cut flower, particularly for wedding bouquets and decoration, or as fine misty filler in arrangements and vases.
It is a “cut & come again” plant, so the more you cut the more it blooms.

Very decorative with both flowers and foliage in the garden

But it is equally appreciated by gardeners.
Of course for the clouds of fine white flowers, that really put on a show from mid-summer on when so many other blooms are flagging in the heat.
That’s when heat hardy ‘Sea Spray’ gets cracking.

Striking rosettes of large-spoon shaped-blue-grey foliage

Limonium collinum ‘Sea Spray’ is an evergreen perennial.
With really eye-catching foliage rosettes of large, spoon shaped, blue-grey-green leaves that sit flat to the ground, in a neat form.

Permanent garden feature all year round

So the foliage is an attractive feature all year, even when the plant is not in bloom.
And it is such an advantage to have it permanently in the garden or commercial flower field, and not have to replant each year.

Everlasting cut flowers

Heads of Limonium collinum ‘Sea Spray’ lasts for ages in a vase.
Either picked and used fresh, or used dried.
Because the fine flowers hold their colour and shape virtually indefinitely, and only become whiter with age.

Gift for bridal arrangements

It is therefore a gift for wedding bouquets and celebration arrangements, as they last way past the event.

Excellent dried 

And of course armloads can be harvested during summer-autumn and dried for future use over winter or in years to come.

Quick & easy to grow from seed

White Perennial Statice is very quick and easy to grow from seed.
And if you start your seed in good time you can harvest blooms right through the same summer and autumn.

Thrives in a hot sunny garden

Limonium collinum ‘Sea Spray’  is very easy to grow and does not need much water or care.
It loves extremely good drainage, and thrives in rocky, gravelly soil.
So it is ideal for gardeners with hot conditions or limited water, rocky, seaside, sandy and windy sites.

Very water-wise & drought tolerant

As it revels in the sun and heat of summer with minimal additional watering, and prefers to be grown on the lean and mean side, without too much fertilizer or rich conditions.

Robustly frost hardy

‘Sea Spray’ has excellent frost tolerance, confidently withstanding temperatures below -20°C.

Pests & diseases are rare

Providing you keep the plants very well drained, without any water logging in the soil – there is not much to go wrong with ‘Sea Spray’.

Fast & evergreen perennial

Limonium collinum ‘Sea Spray’ is a fast growing perennial, which quietly increases in size and beauty each year.

30-40cm. High in a mist of white flowers x 45cm. Wide evergreen flat rosette of spoon shaped foliage.

Rabbits & deer are not keen

The tough leaves, stems and papery flowers are not attractive to rabbits and deer.
So they tend to have it at the bottom of their menu selection.

But bees, butterflies & useful pollinators flock to Statice

While bees, butterflies and our other pollinating friends just love Perennial Statice flowers for their abundant nectar and pollen.
And appreciate them for their very long blooming season through all the hot months when many other flowers have already given up.

Cutting fresh flowers for the vase: Cut stems to the base when almost all the blooms in the head are fully open.
Preferably harvest before the sun is too hot.
Re-cut the stems under water and leave standing in warm water (not hot) to hydrate.
Do not place in a cool room.
Flowers are not not sensitive to ethylene, so they can be used in arrangements with fruit.
Fresh White Perennial Statice flowers will last up to 14 days in a vase.

How to dry Statice Flowers: Simply cut the stem to the base and hang bunches upside-down in a dry, well-ventilated place out of direct sunlight, such as a dark pantry or garage.
For best drying – preferably harvest when all the flowers in the head are fully open.
Limonium collinum ‘Sea Spray’  holds its clean white colour for years when dried.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY
Suitable for beginners & gardening with kids

Seeds can be sown directly in the garden in spring or autumn.
OR
Sow indoors at any time for early advanced plants, whenever suitable temperatures are available (18-24°C).
Early indoor sowing will give the longest blooming in the same year.

Sow indoors for optimum germination & early plants: First prepare a special seed raising mix by mixing 2 parts Perlite with 1 part regular seed raising mix.

Then sow the seeds in a punnet on the surface of the special mix.
Then gently pat the seeds to the surface of the mix to ensure good contact.
These seeds need light for germination, so it is best not to cover the seeds with mix, or only barely.

Now thoroughly moisten the mix by standing the punnet in a shallow water bath and allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Then place the punnet in a warm, well-lit position (not in any direct sun).
Temperatures around 18-24°C. are ideal for rapid and optimum germination.

Continue to keep consistently moist by misting regularly with a spray water-bottle.
Consistent moisture, without drying out, is important for germination of these seeds.

And you can use a heat mat to maintain warmth, if you have one.
But it is not essential as these seeds are willing germinators.

Seeds germinate in approx. 7-14 – 21 days.

Seed Count: 200 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

Click here for Nursery Open Days & Open Gardens Information
https://www.gardivalia.com.au/open-gardens

Click here to go back to Seeds Shop
https://www.seedscape.net.au/shop/