The magic of cut-and-come-again flowers

The Magic of Cut-and-Come-Again Flowers

What is a cut-and-come-again flower?

Quite simply, a cut-and-come-again plant has flowers that can be removed and then new flowers will grow in their place. This happens thanks to the branching habit of some flower species such as cosmos and dahlias.

When you cut a flower in the right place on these particular plants, you are removing apical dominance. This means that you are removing the dominance of the central stem over the side shoots. If a flower is removed correctly then axillary buds will form and you will promote the growth of two or more new flowers simply by cutting one off.

To do this successfully though, you need to cut your stems in the right place, but by doing so, you will perpetuate your harvest, so that the more you pick, the more your plants will flower.

Not all flowers are cut and come again though. Things like peonies and tulips will only produce one flower per year, but are still grown by many florists due to their beauty and popularity.

'Cut and Come Again' Plant Groups

70-80% of my flower farm here at Perch Hill is 'cut and come again'. From hardy annuals to tender perennials, most of the flowers I grow score between 8/10 and 10/10 on the productivity chart.

Some of the most productive cut and come again flowers are:

• Sweet peas
• Cosmos
• Dahlias
• Ammi
• Amaranth
• Snapdragons

Plants with some ability to cut and come again include:

• Euphorbias
• Heleniums
• Phlox
• Roses

Plants which are worth growing if you have the space but aren't cut and come again:

• Tulips
• Shrubs such as hydrangeas
• Peonies
• Narcissi
• Anemones

Terminology

Hardy Annuals

Hardy annuals are plants that go through their whole life cycle in one year but can survive the harsher winter months.

For instance, a poppy seed that has been sown in September can grow into a seedling in the autumn and survive outdoors until the following year when it will flower.

The poppy actually benefits from overwintering as it has the chance to lay down strong roots and will also flower a bit earlier and often grow taller than a seed that has been sown in the spring.

Half-Hardy Annuals

Half-hardy annuals also go through their whole life cycle in one year, but won't be able to survive the colder winter months.

Examples of half hardy annuals include cosmos, zinnias and snapdragons and these need to be sown undercover in March or April and then planted out when all risk of frost has passed.

They will then grow and flower throughout the summer months but will die as soon as the first winter frosts hit.

Biennials

Biennial plants need to grow for a whole year before they will flower the following season. Biennials need to be sown in May, June or July and they will then flower in April, May or June the following year.

Examples of biennials include wallflowers, honesty and foxgloves. Once they have flowered they should be taken out, or you can leave them to self-seed if you want to grow more.

Herbaceous Perennials

Herbaceous perennials are plants that last for many years, but will die back each winter. After their foliage has died back they may look like they are dead, but they will produce new growth the following spring.

Phlox is an example of a herbaceous perennial.

Perennials

Perennials are plants that will live for a number of years and have their leaves above the ground all year round. Unlike tender perennials they do not die back.

An example of a hardy perennial is a hellebore.

Tender Perennials

Because of climate change and warming temperatures in the UK, dahlia tubers, which once had to be lifted at the end of season, can now be left in the ground.

In order to protect the dahlia tubers, once the plants have turned in November, cut them back to the ground. You then need to cover the underground tubers in a thick layer of mulch, around eight inches over each dahlia crown.