Barbara’s Buttons – Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Marshallia caespitosa DC
Region: 1 through 8 (Ellis County is Region 4)
Size: 6-8 inches
Blooms: April through June, Perennial
No one knows how Barbara’s buttons got its name, but there is no doubt that this dainty little flower attracts the eye. Most often it is white, but it may also be pale pink, creamy or lavender. The flower head, topping a slender stem, is one and one-half inches across and is composed of numerous fragrant disk flowers that form a lacy-looking ball. Stems may be solitary, or several, forming a clump. There are two varieties of this plant. M caespitosa var. caespitosa has slender leaves, six inches long, crowded near the base, with bare stems supporting the flower heads. M caespitosa var. signata has leafy stems and is endemic to south and Midwest Texas, where it sometimes forms colonies.
Article by: Melinda Kocian
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