Strawberry Fields Gomphrena Seeds

Strawberry Fields Gomphrena is such a fun and easy plant to grow! Gomphrena makes for wonderful cut flowers that last for weeks! Blooms can be dried and used in arrangements. Pollinators love this plant too! In warm climates plant in the cool of fall.

Planting by Zones

Zones 9-10

• Plant in the cool of fall for springtime blooms. Blooms from early spring until late fall.

Zones 2-8

• Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Transplant out after the danger of frost is gone.

Planting Strawberry Fields Gomphrena Seeds

• Gomphrena seeds may look like chaff as they are light and petal-like. Do not be mistaken, as these are the seeds. The embryo of the seed is inside the petal-like structure. See photos for reference.
• Transplant gomphrena into the garden after beginning them in starter pots. Direct seeding is not recommended.
• Sprinkle seeds on top of thoroughly moist high-quality seed starting soil and cover with a light 1/8″ dusting of finely sifted soil. Bottom water or mist gently to water the seeds. Do not water with a heavy spray as this will cover the seeds with displaced soil. Keep the surface of the soil moist.
• Space plants 6-8″ apart.

Growing Strawberry Fields Gomphrena

• Gomphrena prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Once gomphrena is established, you will find that it is easy to grow and care for.

Growing Strawberry Fields Gomphrena in Containers

• If you are planting gomphrena in containers, make sure your container is at least 10″ deep. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture.

Harvesting Strawberry Fields Gomphrena Flowers

• Gomphrena flowers produce bright 1 1/2″ globe-shaped blooms that hold well in flower arrangements. For fresh bouquets, harvest the colorful blooms before the flowers are fully open. The flowers also dry well and last for extended periods of time. For dried flowers, harvest the blooms when they are fully open and hang to dry.

Southern California Pro-tips

• In Zones 9 and 10, gomphrena will grow happily from early spring until late fall.
• Mulch heavily to ensure the soil stays cool and well-watered.
• DO NOT overhead water as this promotes disease.

Succession Planting Tips

• Plant more seeds every 3 weeks to guarantee a prolonged blooming period.

Companion Flowers/Crops

• Gomphrena grows well with other cut flowers.
• We recommend planting a cut flower garden. Gomphrena, nigella, strawflower, and scabiosa are all gorgeous cut-flowers that also dry beautifully.

Additional Learning Resources

• New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
• Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube page!
• Having pest issues? Check out in-depth information for pests that can be an issue to garden flowers at the UC Integrated Pest Management site.