Botanical name:

Cotula coronopifolia

Common name(s):

Bachelor’s button, yellow buttons, water buttons

About:

A low-growing, mat-forming, salt-tolerant herbaceous plant with an abundance of small, bright yellow flowers that bloom during the summer months, this species is native to New Zealand and commonly found thriving on sandy beaches and in salt marshes. C. coronopifolia is typically classified as an annual or a short-lived perennial, depending on environmental conditions. The common name of this charming plant is derived from its distinctive small, round, button-shaped flowers, which add a splash of vibrant colour to its natural habitat.

Natural habitat:

They prefer muddy, anoxic wetlands and brackish water. They are extremely salt-tolerant. The plant has fat, fleshy leaves that store water during times of saline inundation. The reddish stems and green, blade-shaped leaves are coated with a shiny cuticle to retain moisture.

Growing environment:

Sun, Salt, Wetland, Wind, Coastal, Free draining tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

Native to southern Africa, as well as New Zealand, but has also been introduced to other parts of the world (Europe, North + South America).

Height: 30cm

Flowering:

December – February with a yellow coloured flower/s

Fruiting:

Uses:

Bee food & Riparian plantings.

How to grow:

Easily grown from fresh seed. Where possible, sow the seed as soon as it is ripe. Stand the pot in 2cm of water in order to keep the soil moist. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Division of rooted pieces is also possible in the spring.

** Seed germinates without pre treatment. Sow seed direct & keep moist until germination is complete.