Ageratum / Floss Flower

Ageratum Flower Description

With their abundance of blossoms allied to their long season - from the early summer until the first hard frost - makes ageratum a very popular garden flower. It's low and tight habit along with it's powder puff blooms means that ageratum looks excellent at the edges of structured flower beds. Floss flowers are also outstanding as gap fillers in borders of low growing plants and in flower boxes.

Garden varieties of the floss flower come in shades of white, pink, blue and mauve and some of the taller varieties are used in flower arranging and floral displays.

Cultivation of Ageratum

Floss Flowers should be sown in early spring under glass or other such protective covering. Seedlings should be hardened off in cold frames before planting out the young plants in permanent beds in the late spring or early summer.

Dwarf varieties of ageratum should be planted 23cm apart. Taller varieties are best planted 30cm apart. Sheltered and sunny sites are best for floss flowers and soils that retain moisture are ideal.

To prolong the flowering season for floss flowers frequent deadheading is a necessity.

Ageratum Pests and Diseases

Floss flowers are susceptible to foot and root rot which may lead to collapse of individual plants.