Buttonbush - Cephalanthus occidentalis

Phonetic: sef-ah-LAN-thus ock-sih-den-TAH-liss

Shrubs larger than 1 gallon can not be shipped.

Most shrubs will not be ready before the first week of June when they are fully leafed out.

Buttonbush is a somewhat coarse, deciduous shrub with an open-rounded habit. It is common in wet open areas, low woods, thickets, swamps, and stream/pond margins. Tiny, tubular, fragrant white flowers appear in dense, spherical, long-stalked flower heads. Long, projecting styles give the flower heads a distinctively pincushion-like appearance. Flower heads are very attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other insect pollinators. Flower heads mature into hard spherical ball-like fruits consisting of multiple tiny two-seeded nutlets. Fruiting heads usually persist throughout the winter. Button bush serves as a host plant for some of our largest and showiest moths including the titan sphinx, the hydrangea sphinx and the royal walnut moth.

• Hardiness Zone:  5-9
• Native Northeast Region: BONAP Map
• BONAP Map Key Color Guide: Map Color Key
• Sun Exposure:  Full sun to partial shade
• Flower Color: White
• Bloom Time: June, July, August
• Soil Type: Medium to Wet
• Mature Plant Size: 6-12' Height, 4-8' Wide
• Plant Spacing:  6'
• Host Plant:  Titan Sphinx, Hydrangea Sphinx, Royal Walnut
• Attracts:  Hummingbirds, Butterflies, Bees
• Advantages:  Nectar source is loved by all things winged
• Landscape Uses:  Pond side, Erosion control
• Companion Plants:  Swamp Azelia, Swamp Rose Mallow, Viburnums, Milkweeds
• Deer Resistant