This plant does well in full to part sun in a well-drained soil with regular irrigation and is cold hardy and evergreen to about 30° F and root hardy to about 25° F. It is attractive to butterflies and can reseed in the garden but is not pesky. The foliage is softer and easier to eat than Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans).

Centratherum punctatum is from South America, growing across a wide area from Venezuela and Columbia south though most of Brazil into Paraguay and Argentina. The name Centratherum comes from the Greek 'kentron' (spur) and 'anthos' (flower) referring to the flower having a spur-like base and the specific epithet coming from the Latin word 'punctatus' meaning "spotted" or "dotted with glands". Common names for this plant include Manaos Beauty, Pineapple Thistle, Pineapple Weed, Larkdaisy, Brazilian Button or Brazilian Bachelor's Button. The name Centratherum comes from the Greek 'kentron' (spur) and 'anthos' (flower) referring to the flower having a spur-like base.

We first noted mention of this plant in Pacific Horticulture where an article in the Spring 1993 issue noted it as a good companion plant to roses and the Spring 1995 issue featured a picture of the plant growing as an understory to black bamboo. We grew this plant from 1996 to 2006 but discontinued because of lack of sales and its somewhat ephemeral nature in the garden. 

Information displayed on this page about Centratherum punctatum is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.