Billy Buttons is a cheerful heirloom flower that produces distinctive golden-yellow globe-shaped blooms on sturdy stems reaching 24 to 30 inches tall. This Australian native (Craspedia globosa) thrives in full sun and blooms reliably from June through August in zones 9 and warmer, typically flowering 84 to 98 days from seed. With its deer-resistant foliage and impressive drought tolerance, Billy Buttons brings a long season of sunny color to gardens that demand low maintenance and high impact.
1
Full Sun
Moderate
9-9
30in H x 8in W
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High
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The defining feature of Billy Buttons is its perfectly spherical, button-like flower heads in bright golden yellow, held high on wiry stems that seem to float above the foliage. These blooms emerge mid-summer and persist for weeks, creating a striking visual texture that works beautifully in borders, meadows, or as cut flowers. The variety's genuine drought tolerance and resistance to deer browsing make it exceptionally reliable in challenging garden conditions without fussy watering or protective measures.
Billy Buttons are grown primarily as ornamental flowers. The long, sturdy stems and long-lasting blooms make them excellent for fresh cutting and dried arrangements, where the papery texture of the flower heads persists for months. Gardeners use them to add textural interest to mixed borders, cottage gardens, and native plant landscapes.
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Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds in pots at a depth of 1/8 inch and keep the soil warm and consistently moist. Seeds typically sprout within 7 to 14 days.
Transplant seedlings outdoors 2 weeks after your last frost when soil has warmed. Harden off plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over several days before planting in their final positions.
Direct sow seeds outdoors 2 weeks after your last spring frost when the soil has warmed. Sow at a depth of 1/8 inch into prepared soil amended with compost.
Harvest flower stems for cutting once blooms have fully formed and the spherical heads have reached their mature size, typically mid-summer through August. Cut stems early in the morning for longer vase life. For dried arrangements, harvest when flowers are fully mature and allow stems to dry naturally in a warm, well-ventilated space.
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