Marshallia obovata

Piedmont Barbara’s Buttons is found in moist, well drained roadsides and fields from south-central Virginia to Florida. That said, it is truly our own wildflower as in NC, it is actually only reported in the very central counties of the state. A basal rosette of narrow leaves gives rise in early summer to slender, unbranched 1- to 2-foot stems bearing 1-inch delicate, fragrant, fluffy, spherical, bright white to pinkish “buttons”. Tolerant of dry conditions and happy in full sun and part shade, this is an un-fussy, non-invasive garden team player attractive to a range of pollinating insects! Piedmont Barbara’s Buttons was selected as the 2009 NC Wildflower of the Year (WFOY) by the NC Botanical Garden with the Garden Club of NC.