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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Bruniaceae |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Cream |
| Bloomtime: Winter/Summer |
| Height: 4-6 feet |
| Width: 3-4 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Seaside: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Berzelia lanuginosa (Buttonbush) - An upright vase-shaped evergreen shrub to 4 to 6 feet tall with small, narrow light-green feathery leaves that are tightly arranged around the wispy stems and with round button-like clusters of cream to pale yellow flowers in crowded terminal heads at the branch tips in late winter to early summer. The flowers are followed by attractive seed heads that can linger on the plant for several years. Plant in full sun to light shade in a wet or regularly irrigated well-draining, preferably acidic soil - needs irrigation particularly in winter and spring. Though some list this plant as tender, others report it tolerant to 20° F and Sima Eliosvson noted in Wild Flowers of Southern Africa that this plant was fairly hardy and tolerated cold winters in Johannesburg, South Africa. She also noted the plant appreciated good air movement and particularly grew well given cool coastal winds. This is a great plant for container gardening, as an unusual specimen plant, or in bog plantings along a pond margin and makes a great cut flower. This plant is native to wet sandy flats and seeps along slopes in the Western Cape of South Africa. It is in a plant family, the Bruniaceae, that is endemic to this area with 12 species in the genus. The name Berzelia honors Swedish chemist Jacob J. Berzelius. The specific epithet 'lanuginosa' is Latin for "wool" in reference to the fluffy white flower heads. We were first introduced to this plant in the 1980's by the late Fred Meyer, a legendary north county San Diego plantsman.
The information about Berzelia lanuginosa that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
Please note that after 46 years in business, San Marcos Growers will be discontinuing nursery operations by the end of 2025 and the property will be developed for affordable housing.
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