Gomphrena decumbens
“Airy Bachelor Buttons”

I just picked this up at a small out-of-state nursery a few years ago not really knowing what it was & it has turned out to be one of the coolest plants I’ve grown. It creates the typical papery “Bachelor Buttons” flowers but they are tiny & form by the thousands on each plant. The cute magenta-purple balls occur on wiry chalk white stems & create an airy puff all around the plant. Also this Gomphrena is a perennial here in the Bay Area unlike other “Bachelor Buttons” that are just annuals. It forms a mound about 2 1/2’ tall by 3’ wide & blooms Summer through Fall. I cut it back to the ground in Winter so there will be fresh growth the following year. It has reseeded gently in my garden & the airy flowers look great mixing in between other plants. Makes a very cool cut & dried flower too.

Kelly Kilpatrick
Propagator