The Low-Maintenance Perennial With Beautiful Blooms That Belongs In Your Container Garden

The best thing about container gardens is that you never really run out of room to grow all those gorgeous plants that come across your radar. No matter how many pots you have going at one time, you can always find space for just one more plant that you simply must have in your garden. When you spot this eye-catching low-maintenance perennial from Australia, it's sure to make it to the top of your list. Pink mulla mulla (Ptilotus exaltatus) not only has beautiful blooms that will take your breath away, but is also drought- and heat-tolerant. Seriously, what more could you want in an outstanding container perennial? In fact, it would make a stunning container plant perfect for your front porch.

There's a particularly endearing hybrid you might want to consider, affectionately known as 'Joey'. This Ptilotus cultivar has the prettiest pink and silver flowers that almost look like soft bunny tails except that they're more of a bottle brush shape. As soon as you spot one of these plants, your first instinct will be to touch the flowers because their fluffy appearance invites you to do just that. But, you'll probably get quite a surprise because the blooms actually feel bristly and durable, rather than soft. This makes them perfect for adding to floral arrangements. Not to be outdone, the foliage is also quite unusual. The lance-shaped gray-green leaves have upturned outer edges and could almost remind you of a little green boat floating on the calm waters of a lake.

There are around 120 species in the Ptilotus genus and almost all of them are native to Australia. These plants grow mostly in the more arid regions, with many of them found growing in the Pilbara of Western Australia. This area is famous for its stunning array of wildflowers in the southern hemisphere spring. The Ptilotus genus is in the Amaranthaceae family and it's easy to see why when you glance at the flowers. They look somewhat similar to Celosia 'Pink Candle', which is also in the same family, and an outstanding annual plant perfect for your garden.

If you want to add Ptilotus to your container garden, it would work perfectly as a lone specimen or in a mixed container as the "thriller" element. It can grow to a height of around 18 inches. You might want to take a look at a few flower and plant combinations to get further inspiration. Just make sure your chosen pot has plenty of drainage holes and that you're using a good quality potting mix. Only water when the top of the soil feels dry, and avoid often or heavy feeding. Many Australian native plants are phosphorus sensitive because Aussie soils are generally depleted of this nutrient, although Ptilotus will tolerate more phosphorus than others. Ideally, if you can find a liquid feed that has low or no phosphorus (like fish emulsion), that would be preferable. In general, this plant requires very little maintenance as it continues to delight you with its outstanding flowers and foliage.