How to Grow Floss Flower (Ageratum Houstonianum)

One of the most popular of all annual flowers, floss flower is an excellent choice for growing along the edges of flower beds, where its short stature and small puffball flowers can be appreciated. It comes in blue, pink and white and generally grows about a foot high, though some dwarf varieties are available.

Things You'll Need

• Bypass Pruners
• Compost Makers
• Fertilizers
• Mulch
• Plants
• Seeds
• Watering Cans

Instructions

1. Buy seedlings at your local nursery. Floss flower is problematic to start from seed.

2. 

   Plant dwarf varieties 6 inches apart and taller species 12 inches apart in average, well-drained soil. Floss flower needs full sun, but in southern climates, plant in an area that gets light shade in the afternoon.

3. 

   Mulch plants to prevent disease, suppress weeds and conserve soil moisture.

4. 

   Keep well-watered but avoid wetting the leaves to prevent fungal diseases.

5. Trim spent blooms regularly to keep the plants attractive.

6. 

   Fertilize occasionally - three or four times during the growing season.

7. Pull up and discard plants in autumn, once frost has felled the plants.

Tips & Warnings

• Floss flower tends to like warm - but not hot - growing conditions with only moderate water.

• When planting, pinch flowers off of seedlings to promote healthier, more heavily flowering plants in the long run.

• Failing to keep spent flowerheads trimmed can create problems. In some regions, floss flower reseeds prolifically to the point of becoming invasive.