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Native Plant of the Week: Buttonbush

Updated: 5 days ago

Family: Rubiaceae


Name: Cephalanthus occidentalis - Buttonbush


Bloom Time: July-August


Flower: White


Fruit: Reddish-brown


Soil Condition: Moist, wet


Light: Sun, partial sun


Height/Width: 5-12'/3-6'


Native Range: Mid to Eastern US including Long Island


Zone: 5-9

Photo: flower (KMS Native Plants)


Buttonbush is a multistemmed shrub in the coffee family with a whimsical pincushion-like round flower head that has many tiny tubular flowers that are a magnet for hummingbirds, bumble bees, and butterflies. It is a lovely addition to a children's garden due to its interesting flower shape and it's yellow-orangy bronze color is a delight. It prefers consistently moist to wet soil, so it is great along a stream, pond, or rain garden (may need supplemental watering in a rain garden).

Maintenance: Blooms on new wood, cut back in early spring


Benefits: shelter for wildlife, pollinators, nectar source, hummingbirds, heat tolerant, clay soil tolerant, compact soil tolerant, salt tolerant, tolerates full shade but does not flower as well, birds eat the seeds, host plant to the hydrangea sphinx moth and several other moth species


Noteworthy Cultivars: 'Sugar Shack' (4-5')


Companion Plants: Clethra alnifolia - Sweet Pepperbush, Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinal Flower, Vernonia noveboracensis - NY Ironweed, Acer rubrum - Red Maple, Eutrochium species - Joe Pye Weed, Iris versicolor - Blue Flag Iris, Carex stricta - Tussock Sedge


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