Introduction

Brazilian buttonflower, a native of Brazil, is an herbaceous perennial that may attain a height of 6 to 18 inches. The olive to light green foliage of the Brazilian buttonflower has a fine texture and creates a soft texture along with the long-lasting, fluffy, button-like flowers appearing on the plant in the warm months. These 1-inch-wide flowers are a beautiful lavenderpink color.

General Information

Scientific name: Centratherum intermedium

Pronunciation: sen-TRATH-ur-um in-tur-MEE-dee-um

Common name(s): Brazilian buttonflower

Family: Unknown

Plant type: perennial; herbaceous

USDA hardiness zones: 9 through 11 (Fig. 1)

Planting month for zone 9: year round

Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round

Origin: not native to North America

Uses: ground cover; edging; cascading down a wall

Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the plant

Description

Height: .5 to 1 feet

Spread: 3 to 4 feet

Plant habit: spreading

Plant density: dense

Growth rate: fast

Texture: fine

Foliage

Leaf arrangement: alternate

Leaf type: simple

Leaf margin: serrate

Leaf shape: elliptic (oval)

Leaf venation: pinnate

Leaf type and persistence: deciduous

Leaf blade length: less than 2 inches

Leaf color: green

Fall color: no fall color change

Fall characteristic: not showy

Flower

Flower color: lavender; pink

Flower characteristic: summer flowering; fall flowering

Fruit

Fruit shape: no fruit

Fruit length: no fruit

Fruit cover: no fruit

Fruit color: not applicable

Fruit characteristic: inconspicuous and not showy

Trunk and Branches

Trunk/bark/branches: not applicable

Current year stem/twig color: reddish

Current year stem/twig thickness: thin

Culture

Light requirement: plant grows in full sun

Soil tolerances: acidic; sand; loam; clay

Soil salt tolerances: unknown

Plant spacing: 36 to 60 inches

Other

Roots: not applicable

Winter interest: no special winter interest

Outstanding plant: not particularly outstanding

Invasive potential: may self-seed each year

Pest resistance: long-term health usually not affected by pests

Use and Management

The Brazilian buttonflower is generally used as a ground cover and is lovely when massed. It is well suited for a rock garden.

The Brazilian buttonflower prefers a well-drained soil and a full sun to partial shade position in the landscape. It is drought tolerant but is killed if frozen.

Propagate by cuttings. It will readily reseed itself.

Pests and Diseases

No pests or diesease are of major concern.