Wedding flower 'Pink Bouquet' Francoa sonchifolia 'Pink Bouquet'

Water

For Bridal Wreath, it's important to maintain consistently moist soil, especially during the growing season. Water this perennial deeply once a week, providing about one gallon of water per plant, to ensure the water reaches the root zone. During hot or dry spells, it may require additional water. However, during the winter months when the plant is dormant, reduce watering to every other week or as needed to prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged. Always check the top inch of soil for dryness before watering to avoid over-watering, which can lead to root rot.

Light

Bridal Wreath thrives in partial shade to full sun. The ideal location would be a spot where the plant receives morning sunlight and is protected from the intense afternoon sun, especially in hotter climates. If grown indoors, place it near a window that offers bright, indirect light to ensure it can photosynthesize effectively.

Temperature

Bridal Wreath prefers moderate temperatures and is hardy in a range of conditions. It can survive minimum temperatures down to about 25°F before it starts to suffer cold damage. Its ideal growing range is between 60°F and 75°F, which allows for healthy growth. It's not suited for extreme heat, so if you're in a region with high summer temperatures, provide some afternoon shade to help moderate the heat.

Pruning

Pruning Bridal Wreath is essential to maintain its shape and encourage more abundant flowering. Prune in late winter or early spring, removing any dead or damaged stems to promote new growth. Additionally, after flowering, you can deadhead spent blooms to help encourage a second flush of flowers. It's not necessary to prune every year, but doing so can help to invigorate the plant and maintain a desirable size.

Cleaning

As needed

Soil

Bridal Wreath requires well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7. Mix equal parts of loam, peat, and sharp sand to create an ideal soil environment for this plant.

Repotting

Bridal Wreaths should be repotted every 2-3 years or when they outgrow their current pot to ensure continued health and growth.

Humidity & Misting

Bridal Wreath thrives in moderate humidity conditions; too low or too high humidity levels can adversely affect the plant's health.

Suitable locations

• Indoor

  Place Bridal Wreath in bright, indirect light with good air circulation.

• Outdoor

  Plant Bridal Wreath in partial shade with moist, well-draining soil.

• Hardiness zone

  7-10 USDA

Life cycle

Francoa sonchifolia 'Pink Bouquet', commonly known as Bridal Wreath, begins its life as a seed which, when sown in spring under the correct conditions of moisture and temperature, will germinate. During the germination stage, the seed absorbs water and the embryonic root (radicle) emerges, anchoring the plant into the soil. This is followed by the emergence of the shoot (plumule) which will develop into the foliage. As the Bridal Wreath matures, it forms a rosette of spoon-shaped leaves and in the summer, it produces tall, erect flower spikes adorned with numerous small, pink flowers. After pollination, ideally by insects, seeds are set and once mature, they are dispersed to complete the cycle. In appropriate climates, Francoa sonchifolia 'Pink Bouquet' may also propagate vegetatively, spreading through rhizomes to form clumps.

Propogation

• Propogation time

  Spring to Summer

• Propogation: Francoa sonchifolia 'Pink Bouquet', commonly known as Bridal Wreath or just Francoa, is typically propagated by division. The best time to divide Bridal Wreath plants is in the spring, just as new growth begins, which allows the divisions to establish during the growing season. To propagate by division, carefully lift the parent plant and gently separate it into smaller sections, making sure that each division has a portion of the root system and several shoots. These divisions can then be planted into prepared soil, maintaining the same depth they were growing at originally. Water the new plants well to help establish roots and continue to provide regular moisture until they show vigorous growth.