The
              Report

No. 84: Flannel Flower cultivation is promising in four States


The full report
This is a summary of a full report Flannel Flower - Development of a production systems published by RIRDC (Pub. No. 00/106, RBG-2A) by L. von Richter and C. Offord; Ph: 02 4648 2477, Fax: 02 2648
2465.  The report is available in hardcopy (under wildflowers) or downloadable from this site.

A series of trials around Australia promises to create new opportunities for cut flower growers to cultivate flannel flowers for domestic and export markets.

Until relatively recently, flannel flowers were exclusively harvested from wild stands but concerns over product quality, reliability and uniformity, coupled with the growing need to conserve natural populations, has lead to small-scale cultiva-tion of this species.

Funded by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the trials were part of a project undertaken by researchers Lotte von Richter and Catherine Offord from Sydney’s Mount Annan Botanic Garden.

The project complemented earlier industry development by testing selections in a wide range of environments and with various cultivation systems, many of which are outside the ‘traditional’ area for growing flannel flowers — the eastern seaboard of Australia.

The Mount Annan Botanic Garden project determined that flannel flowers can be grown commercially in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia. It also assessed the types of production systems needed to establish the wildflower as a viable cut-flower crop.

The Study

The objective was to develop a system for flannel flower cut-flower production by commercially evaluating four varieties of Actinotus helianthi and one of A. schwarzii. Different climatic regions, various soil types and a variety of growing systems used on 19 trial sites were involved.

Other considerations included determining limitations on growing flannel flowers around the country, recording flowering times of clonal material and any changes in that plant material when grown under different conditions.

The work also sought to record difficulties encountered in the project, assess the feasibility of a national trial and identify areas requiring further industry development. The project sites were chosen from respondents who answered a national advertisement. A wide geographic spread of sites was achieved, although there were few offers from inland areas. Participants were from all states and major territories except the ACT and Tasmania.

Locations of properties involved in the national flannel flower trial 1998 – 1999

At each site, a number of flannel flower selections were trialed. Plants were received at two different dates and the survival rates and growth characteristics were measured during flowering after approximately one year’s establishment.

Some sites were assessed by the researchers and others by the growers, using agreed criteria. Problems transporting the plants and the remote location of some sites meant establishment rates were lower than expected.

The Results

A number of important observations emerged from the trial, eg, it was apparent that some sites were less suitable than others for cultivation of this species.

Generally, A. helianthi grows in most areas tried with the exception of the far-Northern Territory. In some areas it appears frost may be a problem, but where plants are protected, these areas may still be suitable.

In northern regions, such as Queensland, plants can be established in Autumn or Spring, where in more southerly regions, like Victoria, establishment is only successful in Spring. Plants survive and grow best in areas that are protected from wind, are weed-free and have well-drained soil. Where reasonable levels of balanced fertilisers are used there is good growth. Better growth is also achieved where plants are supported by mesh or stakes. Weed control is also necessary.

Few pest and diseases were recorded, but at several sites, plant death due to Fusarium wilt caused concern. As little can be done to control this fungal disease, more work is needed to identify ways of avoiding or minimising its occurrence.

Summary

There is a great deal of scope for selecting flannel flower genotypes for their suitability to cultivation. The selections used in this trial showed a degree of variability between sites. Selection A (pictured) proved to be the best performer overall. At some sites, other selections also performed well, indicating a genotype by environment interaction that could be further explored to maximise production.

But Selection A proved the most suitable on virtually all of the sites tested. It has long stems, averaging 74cm, which are strong and straight and large blooms 93mm in diameter.

The bract arrangement is even, presenting as two whorls of five bracts, the inner ones slightly smaller and narrower. The bracts have distinctive green tips that growers seem to favour.

Flowering of the selections varied between sites. This showed planting time is one the most important considerations arising from the trial. Queensland growers were able to establish flannel flowers when planted during May whereas southern growers, particularly those in Victoria, had serious losses with May plantings. But there still appears to be scope for supplying the export market with cultivated varieties at different times by cultivating in different regions.

Actinotus schwarzii, although a stunning plant under nursery conditions, proved to be unsuitable for cultivation. Its value to horticulture may be as a parent in breeding programs where it may impart large flowers and drought tolerance.

Further work is needed to optimise field cultivation of A. helianthi, in particular, fertiliser requirements and Fusarium control. The trials indicated that flannel flowers can be grown in many areas of Australia. The most promising sites were at Mundijong (WA), Longford (VIC), Castlemaine (VIC), Lockyer Valley (QLD), Peachester (QLD), Kempsey (NSW), Craven (NSW), Bobs Farm (NSW) and Myola (NSW). Considerable work on cultural requirements, propagation, breeding and marketing still needs to be carried out to optimise flannel flower production.

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