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Herbaceous Perennial

Leptinella potentillina

brass buttons

Creeping, mat-forming, evergreen perennial about 5cm tall with an indefinite spread and rooting at the nodes, with fern-like purplish green leaves divided into leaflets. In summer produces white flower heads to 9mm wide, on small stalks

Synonyms

Cotula potentilloides
Cotula potentillina

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Ultimate height

Up to 10cm

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

1.5–2.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Asteraceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Matforming
Genus: Leptinella are annuals and creeping, tufted or mat-forming perennials, forming low carpets of finely-divided, often aromatic, fern-like leaves. Button-like flowerheads on short stalks appear from late spring to summer
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Chatham Islands

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, sharply drained soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring or propagate by seed as soon as ripe

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Banks and slopes
Ground cover

Pruning

No pruning required, wide spreading so remove unwanted growth as seen

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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