Gomphrena Species, Bachelor's Button, Prostrate Globe-Amaranth

This plant looks terrific when growing back after being cut to the ground in the fall--tall, erect stems and bright green leaves that mak...Read Moree the perfect backdrop for emerging flower buds. If untrimmed and not staked the stems will eventually start to arch and some will end up laying over onto the ground or on/in/around other plants (while remaining full in the center). I find that quality to be one of this plants best attributes because the tiny flowers look so good peeking out of the surrounding plants. (Is stunning intermingling with plants like Russian sage, Santa Barbara Daisy, coneflower..

In our zone (SS 24, USDA 10W), where there is no deep freeze and only an occasional light frost, this plant can also be left to grow on over winter. The leaves will turn various shades of green and red and many of the flower heads will brown, but the plant doesn't defoliate and many of the flowers remain fresh-looking throughout winter and on into the next spring. New growth in the spring is not nearly as vigorous (or visible) as when old growth is cut back in the fall and the plant allowed to rest over winter.

After 3 years in lightly amended sandy-loam that is
mulched with compost and watered deeply once or twice a month depending on the heat, this plant has never once looked sick, tired, or bothered by pests.

Cut a bunch of the long stems at once and the clusters of tiny flowers (which look just like the one's in the image from Annie's) make for a gorgeous, airy bouquet. A few branches to the back or center of an arrangement lends a lot of height and just a little drama to other arrangements. I use them like baby's breath.

I have let several of these go to seed but have had no volunteers, however, cut stems will root in a vase of water that's kept fresh. Takes a couple of weeks to get roots, then a few months of growing on in pots before they are ready to plant out.