Billy Buttons — The Australian Native That Went to Hollywood

Pots of Billy Button seedlings

There is something undeniably smug about growing a flower that your florist charges a fortune for, that Hollywood set decorators reach for when they want a table to look effortlessly cool, and that just happens to be Australian.

Meet Billy Buttons, or Pycnosorus globosus for the latin nerds. Called 'drumsticks' by our American friends, Billy Buttons are a short-lived perennial — which means unlike most flowers you'll grow from seed, these beauties will flower for a few years before needing to be replaced.

I was stoked to spot them on a cafe table when I went to watch The Devil Wears Prada II last night with my daughter, which is completely normal movie-watching behaviour and not at all a sign that I have a problem

Are they hard to grow?

Australian natives have a reputation for being tricky from seed. Billy Buttons are not. They are one of the most beginner-friendly natives you can grow, and a brilliant place to start if you've always wanted to try.

They love full sun, handle frost without drama, and are perfectly suited to pretty much every part of Australia. Grown commercially for the cut flower market all over the world — and a favourite in The Flower Growing Year this year — they are our ‘girl next door who went to Hollywood’.

When and how to sow

Billy Buttons can technically be sown year round, but my preference is autumn or early winter, with a view to planting out in spring.

Billy Buttons like it HOT when germinating — 21–24°C — so a heat mat, a very sunny spot or a greenhouse will give you the best results. During cooler months I take advantage of the underfloor heating in our family bathroom.

Keep them warm and moist, and don't bury the seed. They need light to germinate, so press them gently onto the surface of your seed raising mix and resist the urge to cover them.

Pot on once they're big enough to handle, and plant out in spring. They also grow beautifully in pots if you don't have garden beds.

One note: I tried direct sowing this year after reading it was 'easy.' Zero success. So for me, seed raising is the way to go for these.

As a cut flower

Billy Buttons are grown commercially as a cut flower for good reason. Those perfect golden spheres on long stems are architectural, unusual, and incredibly long lasting in a vase. They also dry beautifully if you want to extend their life even further.