Hussar buttons have only been made in Europe for around 200 years. Because they remain very small, they are also known as miniature sunflowers. Just like the large sunflower, the Hussar button or Hussar head is not hardy and has to be sown again every year.
Are hussar buttons winter hardy?
Hussar Buttons are not hardy and cannot tolerate frost. They are annual plants that need to be re-sown every year. Keeping or overwintering indoors for several years is not possible.
Hussar heads are grown as annuals
The Hussar button is a non-poisonous annual plant that is not hardy at all. At the first frost it freezes and dies.
Even if you brought the little hussar button into the house before the frost to overwinter it, keeping it for several years is not possible.
When the seeds ripen in autumn, the hussar button is used up.
The hussar button cannot tolerate frost
The hussar button does not tolerate frost at all. That's why you can only put the bowls or balcony boxes outside in spring when there are definitely no more frosts to be expected.
Wait until after the Ice Saints before moving to the balcony or terrace. Then the likelihood of night frosts recurring is very low. Alternatively, you can place the planters with the hussar buttons on the balcony during the day and bring them into the house at night.
If you want the hussar buttons to grow in the rock garden or flower bed, do not plant them before the end of May. You should only think about planting if you live in an area with very mild temperatures.
Sowing again instead of overwintering
If you want to decorate your balcony and terrace with the grateful summer bloomers every year, you have to buy new plants from the dealer in spring.
You can also propagate hussar buttons yourself if you collect seeds from the faded flowers in autumn. Seeds (€3.00 on Amazon) are available commercially for sowing in spring.
Propagate Hussar Button yourself
- Collecting seeds in autumn
- sow in seed trays in spring
- Light germinator!
- prick
- plant after the Ice Saints
Husarenkopf can be sown from February. You need a warm place in a bright place, for example a window.
Tip
Hussar heads are at home in Central America. They grow there at altitudes of 1,000 meters. Since they spread widely in the corn fields, they are considered weeds in their homeland that must be controlled.
