Berzelia lanuginosa

Berzelia lanuginosa, nicknamed "Buttonbush", is a rare South African bush that should appeal to collectors, exotic enthusiasts, and the curious.  With a spreading, evergreen habit, it has attractive light green needle-like foliage with an interesting texture. From spring to the end of summer, its vegetation is hidden under a mass of fluffy yellow to cream-white pompom flowers gathered in bunches. In South Africa, these magnificent inflorescences are used in floristry. This Berzelia grows in poor and moist soils. It can be grown in a coastal garden or in a pot. 

Berzelia lanuginosa is a shrub plant of the Bruniaceae family. The genus Berzelia has 12 species of shrubs almost exclusively confined to the Cape region in South Africa. They are plants of the fynbos, a specific vegetation formation in this Mediterranean climate region, wet in winter and dry in summer, regularly subjected to fires. This Berzelia lanuginosa grows naturally on non-chalky sandy soils which are always moist.

The Berzelia intermedia displays a naturally spreading habit, both upright and sprawling. While the shrub can reach 2m (6ft 7in) in its native lands, it will not exceed 1.50m (4ft 11in) in height in our latitudes. The stems bear short needle-shaped leaves, arranged in whorls. Flowering occurs from June to September, depending on the climate. At the end of the branches, large inflorescences appear composed of a multitude of tiny flowers with very short petals that release prominent stamens. The colour of this flowering evolves from yellow to cream-white. In nature, many pollinating insects visit the flowers of this bush. The seed-filled fruits dry over time and can persist for a long time on the branches, sometimes until the death of the shrub. The seeds are only released under certain conditions, for example after a fire. Berzelias are shrubs linked to fire ecology: they are capable of regrowing from the stump after fires, or after a frost that destroys the vegetation if the stump is protected. 

With its heather-like appearance covered with cream pompoms, the Berzelia lanuginosa is a very structural, exotic plant. In favourable climates, it can be planted near a pond, in sandy or peaty soil. It also fits into a shrub bed composed of southern plants: Leptospermum, Melaleuca, and Callistemons will be good companions. It can acclimate in sheltered coastal gardens without heavy frosts, in light non-chalky soil. Particularly suitable for mild oceanic climates, it is quite easy to grow in pots. It should always be planted in an open position, in full sun.