Buttonbush
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Cephalanthus occidentalis
Buttonbush is a deciduous shrub that grows 6-12 feet tall and can sometimes reach up to 20 feet. It is a multi-branched shrub with a rounded, open habit characterized by crooked and leaning branches and irregular crowns. The plant produces clusters of fragrant, white flowers shaped like pincushions, each with tubular, five-lobed petals. These flowers appear in dense, spherical flower heads about 1.5 inches in diameter, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and other insect pollinators. As the flowers fade, they give way to hard, spherical, ball-like fruits containing multiple tiny, two-seeded nutlets. These fruiting heads typically persist throughout the winter months.
The buttonbush's glossy, bright green leaves are ovate to elliptic in shape, approximately 6 inches long, and usually occur in pairs or whorls. The leaves emerge late in spring. The genus name "buttonbush" originates from the Greek words kephale, meaning "head," and anthos, meaning "flower." Buttonbush is an attractive ornamental plant that thrives in wet soils and is well-regarded as a source of nectar for honeybees. It is commonly found in various habitats throughout Texas, including moist open areas, low woods, thickets, swamps, upland sinkhole ponds, river bottomlands, and margins of streams and ponds. Ducks, water birds, and shorebirds consume the seeds of buttonbush.
Height: 5’-12'
Spread: 4’-8'
Bloom: June
Light: Full sun, Part Sun
Water: Medium to wet
Zone: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Origin: Texas, Midwest
Winter Shipping: We will continue to ship throughout winter. If you prefer, we are happy to hold your order until spring; please include that request in your shipping notes.
When you order plants from our nursery, you can expect them to arrive in the best possible condition. Our team carefully packs each order using sturdy, biodegradable packaging materials.
Your plants' appearance may vary depending on the season and their current growth stage. We may cut back the leafy growth of some plants to prepare them for shipment and transplanting.
5 Gallon and Up: Any plant purchased to ship over 5 Gallons will be shipped bare root. This means we will remove the plant from its original pot, remove the soil surrounding the roots, and wrap the roots with a biodegradable plastic bag. This reduces weight and the likelihood of damage during shipping.
Once your plants arrive, it is essential to plant them as soon as possible. This will help them rebound and thrive. If you cannot plant immediately, water regularly and keep the roots off heat-conducting surfaces.
Newly transplanted plants often require more water until their roots are well established. Plan to water them 1-3 times weekly for the first few months.
