Rhodanthe anthemoides (chamomile sunray)

Japanese name: 花かんざし
Scientific name: Rhodanthe anthemoides

[Overview]
A perennial 15–30 cm tall, growing in its native range in dry, rocky, sandy soil.
In Japan it is treated as an annual.
The whole plant is tinged with grayish green.
The stems branch from the base, are erect, and are hairless.
The leaves are simple and alternate, linear, about 1 cm long, with entire margins.
A single flower head forms at the stem tip, and because many petal-like involucral bracts surround the head, the flower looks double.
The involucral bracts are white and have a dry, papery texture.
The tubular florets in the center are yellow.
The buds are pink.
The flowers close in cloudy weather and at night.
The fruit is an achene, but in Japan it hardly ever sets fruit.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, well-ventilated, dry place.
It dislikes heat and humidity and dies back before the rainy season; to carry it through summer, keep it on the dry side in a well-ventilated partial shade and let it stay cool.
It is also weak against cold, but can overwinter in regions without frost.
Take care not to overwater; once the soil has dried, water thoroughly at the base of the plant, avoiding the flowers.
From early spring until the flowering season, give diluted liquid fertilizer about once a week.
Remove spent flowers promptly.
Crowded plants become stuffy and prone to disease, so thin or trim them as needed.
Pests and diseases include gray mold, aphids and slugs.

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