Description of Cotula coronopifolia (Brass buttons)

Cotula coronopifolia is brass buttons, a low coastal plant that copes well with wet ground and short periods of flooding. It’s a handy filler for bog edges and pond shelves, especially where you want something that spreads and covers bare mud.

Appearance

It forms creeping stems with fleshy, lobed leaves. In summer it produces small yellow button-like flowers held on short stalks. It stays low, usually 5 to 15cm tall, but it can spread into a broad mat.

Care Guide

It likes open light and constant moisture. It also tolerates slightly salty conditions, which is why it does well in coastal gardens.

• Sun: Full sun to light shade.
• Soil: Wet soil, sandy loam, or aquatic compost.
• Water: Keep consistently damp. It can handle shallow water for short periods.
• Control: Trim runners if it spreads into slower plants.
• Tidy: Cut back tatty growth in spring to encourage fresh shoots.

In a liner bog, it works well planted at the edge where the surface stays damp but not permanently submerged.

Suitability for Bog Garden

This suits bog gardens as a front-edge ground cover and for filling gaps between stones and baskets. It’s also useful on pond shelves where the waterline shifts.

Keep it away from tiny seedlings if you want them to stay visible.

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