Lesser Butter and Eggs: A Small but Cheerful Ground Cover
If you’re looking for a low-maintenance ground cover that produces tiny, cheerful flowers, lesser butter and eggs (Linaria supina) might catch your eye. This diminutive annual creates carpets of small snapdragon-like blooms that can brighten up challenging spots in your garden. But before you add it to your shopping list, let’s explore what makes this little plant tick and whether it’s right for your landscape.
What is Lesser Butter and Eggs?
Lesser butter and eggs is a small annual forb – essentially a non-woody flowering plant that completes its entire life cycle in one growing season. Despite its common name suggesting something buttery and breakfast-related, this plant is actually a member of the snapdragon family. The name likely comes from the yellow and orange coloration of its tiny flowers, which some imaginative gardener thought resembled butter and egg yolks.
This isn’t a native North American plant – it originally hails from the Mediterranean region of southern Europe. However, it has established itself in several U.S. states and now grows wild in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
What Does It Look Like?
Don’t expect towering height from lesser butter and eggs. This is a prostrate, mat-forming plant that stays close to the ground. The small flowers are typically yellow with bright orange centers, resembling miniature snapdragons. While individual flowers are tiny, they can appear in sufficient numbers to create a colorful carpet effect when conditions are right.
Where and How to Grow Lesser Butter and Eggs
If you decide to grow lesser butter and eggs, here’s what you need to know:
Growing Conditions
- Sunlight: Full sun is preferred
- Soil: Well-drained soils are essential – this plant doesn’t like wet feet
- Water: Drought tolerant once established
- Climate: Hardy in USDA zones 7-10; grown as an annual in colder regions
Planting and Care
- Easy to grow from seed, which can be direct sown in spring
- Self-sows readily, so expect it to return next year without your help
- Requires minimal care once established
- Works well in rock gardens, as a gap filler, or in naturalized areas
- Perfect for Mediterranean-style gardens or xeriscaping projects
The Pollinator Question
Lesser butter and eggs does provide some benefit to pollinators, particularly smaller bees and other minor pollinators who can access its tiny flowers. However, the impact is relatively modest compared to showier native wildflowers.
Should You Plant It?
Here’s the balanced view: Lesser butter and eggs isn’t going to harm your local ecosystem, but it’s not going to be a conservation superstar either. It’s a reliable, low-maintenance option for challenging spots where you need something that can handle poor soil and drought conditions.
However, if supporting native wildlife is a priority, consider these native alternatives that offer similar benefits:
- Native sedums for drought-tolerant ground cover
- Wild lupines for small, colorful flowers
- Native penstemons for snapdragon-like blooms
- Regional wildflower mixes that include low-growing species
The Bottom Line
Lesser butter and eggs is a perfectly pleasant little plant that won’t cause problems but won’t solve them either. It’s ideal for gardeners who want something reliable and low-fuss for difficult spots, particularly in Mediterranean or rock garden settings. Just remember that while it’s putting on its cheerful display, you could be growing something that gives local wildlife an even bigger boost.
If you do choose to grow it, you’ll find it’s about as easy as gardening gets – just scatter some seeds and let nature take its course. Sometimes, that’s exactly what a busy gardener needs.
