Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. rosea

Native to Australia, Rosy Everlasting is an annual plant up to about a foot tall and a foot wide. It has linear or elliptical-shaped leaves which are green to greyish green in colour and up to 2.5 cm long. The flower heads appear mainly in winter and spring but sporadic flowering can occur at other times. The heads occur singly at the ends of the stems and are 1-6 cm in diameter with yellow or greenish centres surrounded by white or pink, papery bracts. Subspecies splendida has the largest flower heads while ssp.rosea has the most colourful heads. This species, particularly ssp.rosea, has been a popular plant in cultivation for many years because of its very colourful display, especially in massed plantings. It is suited to most temperate areas and will often germinate in the garden from seed produced from the previous season's plantings. It prefers well drained soils in a sunny position. Propagation from seed is usually reliable and seed should be sown in late autumn or early winter.