This little-known native wildflower is one of the prettiest you’ll find in pitcher plant bogs and other wet woodland areas, especially in the longleaf ecosystem. The showy pink and white flowers appear on a single stem, up to a couple of feet high. There are several varieties in Georgia, but I believe these are either Narrow-leaf Barbara’s buttons (Marshallia tenuifolia), which are somewhat rare, or the more common Grass-leaf Barbara’s buttons (Marshallia graminifolia). Interestingly, no one seems to know who “Barbara” was. The first known usage of the common name only dates to 1933. Before then, they were generally referred to by their Latin names.

Several specialty nurseries sell Barbara’s buttons and I’ve actually had good luck growing them in my own yard. If you like native plants, they’d be a worthwhile specimen to try.