Cephalanthus occidentalis
Overview
Uses: Rain gardens, pond and stream edges, pollinator gardens, and wildlife plantings.
Benefits: The straight native species, with round, pincushion-like white flower balls in summer that pollinators love. Thrives in wet soil and even standing water, and its seed heads feed birds into fall.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Rounded, Upright — open and multi-stemmed.
Bloom Color: White
Foliage Color: Glossy Green
Mature Height: 6–10 feet
Mature Width: 6–8 feet
Bloom Season: Summer
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
The shrub for the wettest corner of the yard, and one of the busiest pollinator plants you can grow there.
Buttonbush grows wild along ponds, streams, and marsh edges across much of North America, and it brings that tolerance home. It thrives in soil that stays soggy and in spots that flood for part of the year, the kind of ground where most shrubs rot. In a garden, that makes it a natural choice for rain gardens, drainage swales, and the low end of a property.
In summer it produces its signature flowers: perfectly round, inch-wide balls made of many tiny white tubular blooms, with fine styles sticking out like pins in a pincushion. Bees and butterflies visit them constantly. As the flowers fade they ripen into reddish-brown seed balls that hang on into fall and are eaten by ducks and other birds.
The plant itself is an open, rounded, multi-stemmed shrub, typically six to ten feet tall and six to eight feet wide, with glossy leaves. It fills space quickly in a wet site and blends naturally into native and wildlife plantings.
Care
Buttonbush Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. Full sun gives the densest growth and the most flowers.
Buttonbush prefers consistently moist to wet soil and tolerates shallow standing water. It also grows in an ordinary garden bed as long as the soil does not dry out for long stretches, so it is not limited to waterside sites.
Water regularly through the first growing season, keeping the soil moist. Plants in wet sites rarely need extra water once established; plants in average soil benefit from a deep watering during dry spells. A layer of mulch helps hold moisture in drier locations.
Feeding needs are light. One application of a slow release fertilizer in early spring is plenty, and plants in rich, moist soil often need none.
Buttonbush is slow to leaf out and often stays bare until late spring, so do not mistake it for winter damage. It flowers on new growth; prune in early spring if needed. An older plant that has become leggy can be cut back hard, even close to the ground, and will regrow full.
Size
What Size is the Buttonbush for Sale Online?
Our Buttonbush ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Buttonbush Grow?
Expect about 6 to 10 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide at maturity, in an open, rounded, multi-stemmed shape. Plants in drier soil generally stay toward the smaller end of that range. Space plants about 5 to 6 feet apart for a mass planting along a pond or swale.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
- Buttonbush
- Common buttonbush
- Button willow
- Honey-bells
Is buttonbush a native plant?
Yes. This is the straight species, Cephalanthus occidentalis, native across much of eastern and central North America and in scattered areas farther west. It is a common shrub of wetland edges in the wild. Browse more Native Plants of North America.
Can it really grow in standing water?
Yes. Buttonbush tolerates shallow standing water and seasonal flooding, which is why it is so often planted at pond margins and in rain gardens. It does not require wet soil, though, and grows well in an ordinary bed that stays reasonably moist.
What wildlife does it support?
The summer flowers are a major nectar source for bees and butterflies, and the seed balls that follow are eaten by ducks and other birds into fall. The dense, twiggy branches also give cover to birds along the water’s edge. For more shrubs that fill in wet or difficult spots, see our Shrubs & Bushes.
