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BOTANICAL NAME
Craspedia globosa
(kras-PEE-dee-uh
glow-BO-suh)
COMMON NAMES
Billy button, Billy
ball, Drumstick, Woollyhead
DESCRIPTION
Billy buttons have
spherical flower heads (glomerules), 1 inch to 2 inches in
diameter, formed of a massive aggregation of tiny flowers, atop
long (12 to 24 inches), thin leafless stems.
COLORS
Billy buttons are
available only in yellow.
VASE LIFE
These flowers should
last from five to 14 days at the consumer level, depending on
their maturity when sold and the care they receive.
AVAILABILITY
Billy buttons are
available year-round from both domestic and foreign growers.
vase-life extenders
PROCESSING
Remove billy buttons
from the shipping boxes immediately upon their arrival, and
check flower quality. Remove all stem bindings.
Next, recut the
stems, on an angle, with a sharp knife, removing at least 1 inch
of stem. Immediately after cutting, dip or place the stem ends
into a hydration solution, then place them into containers
partially filled with lukewarm (100 F to 110 F) properly
proportioned flower-food solution.
REFRIGERATION
Immediately
after processing, place billy buttons into a floral cooler at 34
F to 38 F, and allow them to hydrate for at least two hours
before using or selling them.
ETHYLENE SENSITIVITY
Billy buttons are
fairly resistant to the effects of ethylene.
CARE
EXTRA
Billy buttons’
smooth thin stems can become slimy in storage containers, so
change the flower-food solution every other day, and rinse and
recut the stems.
CONSUMER ACTION
To maximize vase
life, advise customers to change the vase solution, using the
packaged flower food you provide, and to recut and rinse the
stems every two or three days. Also instruct them to keep the
flowers out of direct sunlight and warm drafts.
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fun facts |
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WHAT’S IN A NAME
The genus
name “Craspedia” is derived from the Greek word
kraspedon, meaning fringed edge, in reference to the
feathery appendages of some New Zealand species. The
specific epithet “globosa” means spherical
shaped, in reference to the flower heads.
FAMILY MATTERS
Craspedia is a
member of the huge Asteraceae/Compositae
(daisy/sunflower) family, and flower heads resemble the
center disks of those flowers (without the petals [ray
flowers])—only in globular form. Close relatives include
Gerberas, chrysanthemums, marguerites, asters,
Dahlias, Zinnias, bachelor’s buttons and
thistles, among many others.
HOME SWEET HOME
These
unusual flowers are native to Australia, New Zealand and
Tasmania.
FRESH TO DRY
Billy buttons are excellent candidates for air drying;
they can maintain their color for up to a year. Collect
them at their peak condition; tie several stems in a
small bunch; and hang them upside down in a warm, dry,
airy, dark room until they’re dried. Spraying the flower
heads with a dry-flower sealant can help them last
longer. If color fades, it can be restored with floral
paint or dye.
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Some information provided by:
Botanica, by R.G. Turner Jr. and Ernie Wasson
Chain of Life Network® ,
www.chainoflife.org
Cut Flowers of the World, by Johannes Maree and Ben-Erik
Van Wyk
Hortus Third by Liberty Hyde Bailey and Ethel Zoe Bailey
Stearn’s Dictionary of Plant Names for Gardeners by
William T. Stearn |
