Billy Buttons: How Craspedia globosa Bounces into Beauty

Overview

Craspedia globosa, affectionately known as Billy Buttons, is a cheerful plant brimming with radiant charm. If you’re looking for a magical way to turn an ordinary patch into a delightful spectacle, this little wonder is hard to beat.

Each year, it sends up striking golden spheres – like tiny suns – that never fail to bring a whimsical smile. Whether scattered in a garden or standing proudly in a vase, Billy Buttons radiates joy in every setting.

Bright, resilient, and impossible not to love, this plant is nature’s gentle reminder that beauty can be both simple and enduring. Wherever Billy Buttons grows, happiness follows.

Origin and distribution

Craspedia globosa (syn. Pycnosorus globosus) is native to Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, it is often found inland in dry woodlands, scrublands, and grasslands across the eastern and southeastern mainland.

The plant is highly popular in floristry due to its floral form and long vase life. Its ability to retain colour when dried makes it highly desirable for dry floral crafts.

Craspedia globosa is cultivated worldwide due to its ornamental value. It is often grown as a perennial in warmer climates and as an annual in cooler regions.

Growth and care

Craspedia globosa thrives in regions with moderate to warm temperatures and low to moderate humidity. It is drought-hardy, heat-resilient, and tolerant of light frosts (down to -6°C), which explains its natural presence in arid, semi-arid, and Mediterranean zones. It also adapts well to milder, warm temperate regions.

The plant can last several years as a perennial in warmer climates. Its lifespan often depends on the growing conditions, such as soil, rainfall and moisture availability.

In colder climates, Craspedia globosa can be grown as an annual, as it dies back during heavy frosts. Prune away the above-ground portion, and the plant often resprouts from its underground rhizome in the next growing season.

Conversely, potted plants can overwinter indoors in a bright location as an evergreen perennial to bypass sub-zero outdoor temperatures.

In its native range, Billy Buttons flourishes across various habitats and soil types, from sandy loams and sandy clays to heavy clays. Naturally accustomed to arid environments where soils tend to be more alkaline, it prefers slightly alkaline conditions and performs poorly in strongly acidic soils.

In cultivation, it grows best in moist, well-drained soils with a pH of 6.0 – 8.0, tolerating slightly acidic through to slightly alkaline conditions.

Craspedia globosa can also tolerate coastal exposure and thrives in seaside gardens. However, strong salt-laden winds may still cause leaf burn. Planting in a slightly sheltered position, such as behind a windbreak or among other hardier species, helps reduce this risk.

When starting plants from seeds, use a seed-starting mix to raise seedlings, or sow directly into the garden bed when day temperatures rise above 20°C. Germination takes 14 – 21 days.

Billy Buttons adapts exceptionally to poor soils and does not often require fertilisation in the garden. However, for the best results, add compost or aged manure to improve soil structure, and apply a layer of mulch to retain soil moisture.

Container-grown plants may benefit from a small dose of slow-release fertiliser annually, but avoid over-fertilising by all means. 

Features

Craspedia globosa is a clump-forming herb that develops an underground rhizome and a tufting rosette of narrow, grass-like leaves that often appear silvery or grey-green due to the coverage of fine, woolly hairs.

Such foliage texture gives the plant a soft touch and contributes to its ornamental appeal, especially in cottage or coastal-themed native gardens. The neat, clumping habit serves extremely well in mass or border planting.

The most notable feature is its bright, golden-yellow, globular flower heads that emerge in spring and summer. They sit atop long, unbranched, leafless stems that sway gracefully in the breeze, adding both movement and cheerful splashes of colour to the landscape.

Each flower head, measuring 1 – 3.5 cm in diameter, consists of countless tiny tubular florets (the true flowers) encased by protective bracts. This intricate arrangement not only defines its perfectly spherical form but also enhances the vivid golden colour, making it seem like a small marvel of nature.

Long-lasting and eye-catching, these blooms are equally admired in the garden and as cut flowers, retaining their charm even when dried.

The overall form of Craspedia globosa and its popularity in floristry are reminiscent of Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Yellow Buttons), a tough groundcover that also produces striking, button-like, golden flowers.

FAQs

Is Billy Buttons hard to grow?

Not at all. Billy Buttons (Craspedia globosa) is generally considered easy to grow and quite forgiving once established. Here’s why:

• Hardy & resilient: It thrives in full sun, handles poor soils, and is both drought- and heat-tolerant.
• Low-maintenance: Once settled in, they need very little care beyond occasional watering in prolonged dry spells.
• Soil-friendly: They adapt to a range of soils, from sandy to clay, with good drainage. They do not rely on high soil fertility to thrive.
• Cold-adaptable: They can withstand light frosts and, in colder regions, often resprout from rhizomes when conditions become favourable.

The main thing to watch out for is waterlogging, which they dislike. As long as you provide a sunny spot with well-drained soil, Billy Buttons will happily reward you with its golden globe flowers.

Can Billy Buttons be grown in pots?

Billy Buttons (Craspedia globosa) thrives beautifully in pots, creating stunning focal points on patios, balconies, and garden displays.

Container cultivation offers the perfect solution for excellent drainage, preventing the root rot that often plagues the plant in heavy garden soils.

With proper care – including well-draining potting mix, full sun exposure, and appropriate watering – the charming native can flourish in pots for 2 – 3 years or more, often outlasting its garden-planted counterpart.

Where do Billy Buttons plants grow best?

Billy Buttons (Craspedia globosa) grows best as a perennial in conditions that mimic its native Australian environments:

• Climate: Warm or mild, dry conditions with low humidity are ideal – think semi-arid, Mediterranean or temperate climates with distinct seasons. It struggles in hot, humid climates and areas with wet, muggy summers.
• Moist soil: While not fussy about soil types, it performs best in well-drained spots with constant moisture.
• Light: The plant produces the strongest stems and most prolific flowering under 6 – 8 hr full sun exposure.

Do Billy Buttons plants spread?

Yes. Billy Buttons (Craspedia globosa) plants do spread, but in a modest and tidy way. They grow from a rhizomatous root system, which allows them to form small clumps over time.

Unlike aggressive groundcovers, they won’t take over a garden bed, but the clumps can gradually widen each season.

In the wild, this slow spreading helps them establish in tough, open landscapes. In the garden, you will get larger, denser displays of flower stems year after year.

They can also be propagated easily by division of clumps, or from seed if you’d like to grow more plants.

Does Billy Buttons love sun or shade?

Billy Buttons (Craspedia globosa) loves the sun. It performs best in full sun, although it can tolerate light shade. Too much shade will result in fewer blooms, weaker stems, and a less compact growth habit.

What problems does Billy Buttons have?

Billy Buttons (Craspedia globosa) plants are pretty tough and low-maintenance, but like most plants, they do have a few potential problems gardeners should watch for:

• Poor drainage: Their biggest issue is root rot if the soil stays too wet or waterlogged. Good drainage is essential.
• Frost damage: While they handle light frosts, heavy or prolonged freezes can kill top growth (though rhizomes may resprout).
• Pests: Generally resistant, but aphids or caterpillars may occasionally nibble on young shoots.
• Powdery mildew or fungal spots: Can occur in humid or overcrowded conditions with poor airflow.
• Weak stems: In too much shade or overly rich soil, they may grow leggy and flop instead of standing tall.

Overall, they are remarkably resilient. Most problems arise from excess humidity, moisture, or lack of sunlight.

Do Billy Buttons plants come back every year?

Billy Buttons (Craspedia globosa) is a perennial in warm to temperate climates. It stays evergreen in favourable conditions, sending fresh golden blooms each spring and summer.

In colder regions with heavy frost or snow, the top growth may die back over winter, but the plant often resprouts from its underground rhizomes when temperatures rise in spring.

Do you cut back Billy Buttons?

Yes. Cutting back Billy Buttons (Craspedia globosa) helps keep it healthy and looking its best.

• After flowering: Trim spent flower stems down to the base to encourage fresh growth and sometimes an extra flush of blooms.
• End of season: In cooler climates where frost kills the top growth, cut the plant to ground level. It will usually resprout from rhizomes in spring.
• Tidy-up pruning: Remove old, untidy leaves or stems to keep the clump neat and encourage new shoots.

How far apart do you plant Billy Buttons?

Plant Billy Buttons (Craspedia globosa) about 30 cm apart. This spacing gives each clump room to expand without overcrowding, while still allowing for a striking mass display when planted in groups.

If you want a denser look with a golden drift of blooms, you can plant a little closer, around 20 – 25 cm apart.

What is the lifespan of Craspedia globosa?

Craspedia globosa (Billy Buttons) is a short-lived perennial, typically lasting around 2 – 3 years in the garden. However, the plant can last even longer in the right conditions (full sun, well-drained soil, and protection from prolonged frosts), or via rhizome division (i.e., separating established clumps).