Yellow buttons, in the aster family, occurs in dry habitats throughout
Florida, and is often common in scrub. It reaches about
3' in height. Yellow buttons is one of very few annuals
in scrub. Most scrub plants are perennial, with enlarged
roots or other underground structures enabling them to
sprout back after being burned to the ground in
lightning-caused fires. Those that don't resprout
maintain a "bank" of seeds in the soil (or on
the tree in the case of sand pine). A few weeks after a
fire the scrub sometimes erupts with yellow buttons when
thousands of seeds germinate at once. A stand of yellow
buttons in bloom can stun with its brilliant beauty.
Yellow buttons, in the aster family, occurs in dry habitats throughout
Florida, and is often common in scrub. It reaches about
3' in height. Yellow buttons is one of very few annuals
in scrub. Most scrub plants are perennial, with enlarged
roots or other underground structures enabling them to
sprout back after being burned to the ground in
lightning-caused fires. Those that don't resprout
maintain a "bank" of seeds in the soil (or on
the tree in the case of sand pine). A few weeks after a
fire the scrub sometimes erupts with yellow buttons when
thousands of seeds germinate at once. A stand of yellow
buttons in bloom can stun with its brilliant beauty. 
