A creeping, alpine groundcover with fern-like, feathery leaves that form dense mats. A plant that makes a carpet in the cold. The leaves are finely divided, giving them a soft, feathery texture. They are bright green, sometimes with a reddish tinge in exposed sites. The plant spreads by creeping stems that root at the nodes, slowly covering the ground with a dense, green carpet. A plant that holds the mountain together. The plant produces small, button-like yellow flowers in summer. The flowers are held on short stalks above the leaves. They are small but numerous, creating a soft yellow haze over the green mat. The flowers are followed by small, dry fruits containing the seeds. A plant that blooms where the wind never stops. Button Fern is extremely cold-hardy, tolerating heavy frost and snow. It grows in alpine and subalpine herbfields, rocky slopes, and stream banks, often in exposed sites. The dense, creeping growth helps stabilise the soil, preventing erosion on steep slopes. A plant that holds the mountain in place. The plant is perfect for rock gardens, alpine plantings and between paving stones. It tolerates light foot traffic, making it suitable for planting in pathways. The fine, fern-like foliage provides a soft texture that contrasts with the hard surfaces of rocks and stones. To find Button Fern is to climb the mountains. Look for the dense, creeping mats of feathery green leaves, the small yellow button flowers. It is a plant of the high places, a groundcover of the alpine zone. The mountain is cold. The wind blows. The button fern creeps across the rocks, yellow flowers nodding, green leaves soft against the stone. It does not complain about the cold. It just grows. That is enough.