Ptilotus Care
Native to the arid plains of Australia, ptilotus is a plant that needs full sun and well-drained soil to thrive. Amend garden soil to the ideal growing conditions (e.g. sandy soil) before planting, or place this annual in a container filled with well-drained soil that dries out thoroughly between watering. A low-maintenance plant, ptilotus thrives in lean soil and doesn’t need any additional fertilization. It is prone to root rot, an often-fatal problem that is hard to cure. Visit your local gardening center to get a fungicide designed to fight fungal pathogens within the soil. Follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully. (Pots that have held soil contaminated with root rot fungus should be soaked in bleach before reusing to make sure spores do not survive.) Ptilotus flowers tend to look a little ragged as they get older. Deadhead spent-looking blossoms to encourage a new flush of growth.
New Innovations
In its native habitat, ptilotus tends to grow large and weedy-looking. Breeders have created compact varieties for use in containers and gardens.
