Billy Balls, Craspedia Seed

Billy Balls Billy Buttons Seed

Perfect golden spheres add playful geometry to bouquets
Dense yellow flower heads perch on straight, wiry stems
Heat-loving Australian native handles lean, well-drained soils
Excellent fresh or dried for long-lasting floral designs

See product details

Key Attributes

Botanical Name

Craspedia globosa

Days to maturity

115 Days

Sun

Full Sun

Packet

100 Seeds

About Billy Balls, Billy Buttons Seed, Billy Buttons Seed

Billy Balls, scientifically known as Craspedia globosa, are unique and charming flowering plants that belong to the Asteraceae family. Native to Australia and New Zealand, these distinctive plants have gained popularity in floral arrangements and gardens around the world due to their eye-catching appearance. " Billy Balls are known for their spherical, globe-shaped flower heads, which consist of densely packed, tiny yellow florets.

Growing details

Planting

Sow Depth

1/8"

Days to Germination

14–21 days

Germination Type

A - No Pretreatment

In-row plant spacing

12"

Plant profile

Life Cycle

Annual

Plant Height

30 inches

Growth Habits

Upright

Seed & variety

Seeds Per Ounce

312,500

Color

Yellow

Seed Type

Open Pollinated

Before Planting

Billy buttons need full sun and fast drainage. Prepare lean to moderately fertile soil, remove perennial weeds, and use a clean, open seed mix; cold-moist stratification can improve germination in some lots.

Planting

Start Billy Buttons indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost. Cover seed only lightly, maintain 65–70°F, and provide strong light immediately after emergence. Harden seedlings before setting them outdoors after frost, spacing plants about 8–12 inches apart. Direct sowing is possible in warm regions but produces later flowers.

Watering

Keep seed and young transplants evenly moist, then allow the topsoil to dry between thorough waterings. Established plants tolerate brief dryness better than waterlogged crowns.

Fertilizer

A small compost addition or one light controlled-release feed is sufficient. Avoid high nitrogen, which produces soft foliage and flower stems that bend.

Harvesting

Cut Billy Buttons when the round heads are fully yellow and firm, before they weather or begin shedding. Stems are useful fresh or dried; for drying, strip foliage, bundle loosely, and hang upside down in darkness with good airflow. Collect seed from fully brown heads.

Tips

Good airflow and sharp drainage are essential in humid climates. Harvest when the yellow globes are fully colored and firm; stems also dry well when bundled loosely in a dark, ventilated place.

Pests & Diseases

Billy buttons can develop powdery mildew, Botrytis blight, fungal leaf spots, and root rot in humid or poorly drained conditions. Watch for white coating, gray fuzzy growth, enlarging lesions, or sudden wilt. Provide full sun and airflow, avoid overhead watering, keep crowns well drained, remove infected tissue, and sanitize cutting tools.

Aphids and thrips feed around Billy Buttons flower heads, spider mites stipple foliage, and slugs may damage young rosettes. Inspect seedlings after damp nights and heads before harvest. Handpick slugs, rinse aphids from sturdy plants, and avoid treating open flowers used by pollinators.