Ernst Benary® Inc.
Family
Asteraceae
Botanical Name
AGERATUM houstonianum 'White Bouquet'
Plant Common Name
Ageratum, Blue Mink, Flossflower, White Bouquet Ageratum
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
Fluffy, white flowers bedeck the White Bouquet flossflower when temperatures are warm and growing conditions favorable. Though technically a tender perennial, this selection is widely grown as an annual bedding plant favored as a cutflower with its tall, sturdy, well-branched stems. It is native to Mexico and Central America where it grows as an evergreen subshrub with a dense, bushy habit, but it has also become naturalized in tropical and subtropical countries across the globe.
The foliage of 'White Bouquet' is deep green, heart-shaped and has scalloped edges. Throughout the season it produces numerous clusters of fluffy, white flowers, Bees and butterflies pollinate the lightly fragrant blooms. The spent flowers should be removed to encourage continuous bloom and to keep the plants looking clean.
Flossflower is easily grown from seed and needs sites with full sun and average, moist soil with good drainage. Where summers are hot, 'White Bouquet' may flower best in locations with partial sun, or grown from fall to spring in tropical regions. This ornamental is rarely bothered by deer and has few pest and disease problems. Enjoyed as a colorful bedding plant since the Victorian times, flossflower looks best in containers or mixed borders with other brightly colored, sun-loving ornamentals. They make great cutflowers, especially as dainy fillers; they may also self-sow.
Unfortunately, Ageratum houstonianum has escaped from cultivation in many frost-free regions globally and is considered a problematic, invasive weed—-especially because its foliage is toxic to grazing ruminants. To learn more see the report by the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER) : http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/..%5Cspecies%5Cageratum_houstonianum.htm
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
10 - 13
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Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Tender Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Height
20"-28" / 50.8cm - 71.1cm
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Width
14"-18" / 35.6cm - 45.7cm
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Bloom Time
Indeterminate
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Native To
Mexico, Central America
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Green
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
Yes
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single, Semi-Double
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Edging, Mixed Border, Tropical
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
Sometimes
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Attracts
Butterflies
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Self-Sowing
Yes
