When The Need Arose.
After ripping out some Flax Lilies from an irrigated bed in my front yard, I decided to replace them with something brighter that would contrast well against the Loropetalum hedge behind them. I found the Buttercup but hadn’t heard of this plant before. After looking up the botanical name, Turnera ulmifolia, I found it is also called Yellow Alder, or Yellow Elder, which is how I learned it in college.
Sparking Interest.
This plant, like a few other plants, opens its flowers during daylight hours and closes them at night or when the sun is not bright. I think this is such a cool feature because it gives your landscape the element of surprise. On the down side, it also can take away the color when the skies are just over cast. For this reason, make sure you pair Buttercup with something that stays colorful all the time. For example, I have Loropetalum behind it, and Gold Mound right beside it.
Experimenting With Winter. 
Turnera ulmifolia is native to the Caribbean basin so it’s only cold hardy to zone 10 but I’ve decided to test it would on the north side of my house in zone 9. I will post in winter, around January how it does! Generally, freezes and frosts will kill them back to the ground but they should come back in the spring in central and south Florida.
The Gist Of Things.
One of my favorite things about this plant is it needs little maintenance. It does better in full sun, becoming fuller with better branching, it needs little to no fertilizer to keep it’s dark green leaves, and it only gets to about 3 feet! One of the most common problems I have when designing ultra low maintenance landscapes is layering because there are only so many plants for the middle layer that stay in the 2-4 foot range with out needing a lot of trimming.
Buttercups bloom year round and can be planted year round in central and south Florida.
Buttercups have very few pest and disease problems. The most serious would be white flies. They are known to house aphids and scales but small populations will not alter the plants aesthetics. Neem oil is effective in helping knock down populations of these pest on this plant. You can find neem oil at most box stores now. Mix according to instructions and reapply as instructed by the label for the best effect (generally every 7 days as needed).
Ere On Caution.
Buttercups can reseed so there is a slight invasive potential present. Simply, pull up seedlings as they arise to keep them from invading your landscape. This will not happen in all zones. Conditions must be correct for a plant to have an invasive habit.
Parts of this plant can be poisonous if ingested, such as the leaves. Make sure to keep an eye on children and pets around this plant.
It’s A Bummer.
Often times, this plant is not grown in nurseries local to central Florida. You often will have to find a large box stores like Lowes or Home Depot who order in plant from nurseries based in Miami or may be even a local plant stand that can order these in from down south since they are not a preferred central Florida plant….yet.
To Sum It Up.
- Full sun
- medium growth habit getting 2-3′ tall
- cold hardy to zone 10 but can come back from frost in zone 9
- great bright yellow color
- low maintenance
More Resources.
Check out
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fp593
for more information.
Homegrown Landscapes LLC 