Cephalanthus occidentalis – Buttonbush

General Information: A common native shrub of wetlands with handsome dark-green glossy leaves. The ball-shaped clusters of small, fragrant, creamy-white flowers appear in summer. Their smell is heavy and mesmerizing. Flowers resemble a bursting firework. The oddly attractive ball-shaped flowers attract Honeybees. Host plant for many large and showy moths. Several silkmoths, the Beautiful Wood-Nymph, and other Lepidoptera are also known to use Buttonbush as a host plant. This plant also provides food and a nesting site for birds. Waterfowl and shorebirds appreciate the seeds in winter. Wood ducks use the shrub for protection near nests. Plants reach up to 15′ and resemble a small tree with a unique twisted trunk with many branches. Indigenous Peoples used Buttonbush medicinally.

Cultivation Details:  This plant is a good choice for rewilding the edges of streams and ponds, or in other wet locations. Buttonbush is very tolerant of wet locations and is useful for stabilizing soil. The plant sends out suckers to form thickets, adding to the utility of this plant to help mitigate erosion. Once established, the rapid growth rate of up to 12 inches per year makes this shrub a good choice for filling in an area quickly and benefiting wildlife. Buttonbush can work well in a rain garden. Pruning is usually unnecessary but may be done in early spring for shaping. If plants become unmanageable, they can be revitalized by cutting them down to the ground in early spring.