[Overview]
A general term for Limonium latifolium, L. bellidifolium, and the garden cultivars derived from crosses between them.
Perennials.
The leaves are basal and either simple and undivided or pinnately lobed.
Forked cymes at the stem tips bear many small flowers.
The calyx is colored blue-purple, white, yellow, pink, and so on.
The fruit is a capsule.
[Uses]
The calyx keeps its color and lasts a long time, so it is used as a dried flower.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It prefers a sunny, well-ventilated place with well-drained soil.
It dislikes acidic soil.
Frost can kill the aboveground part, so in winter protect it from hard freezing.
It does better kept somewhat on the dry side; for potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, and for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Overfertilizing makes plants leggy and prone to disease, so use little; apply a slow-release chemical fertilizer with equal amounts of the three components once in autumn for plants in the ground, and once each in autumn and spring for potted plants.
Pests and diseases include damping-off, aphids and spider mites.
[Notes]
The name statice comes from the former genus name (Statice).
