Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Round white flower globes in midsummer, worked all day by monarchs, swallowtails, and hummingbirds. Grows happily in standing water.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Nothing else we carry brings in the same density of butterflies and hummingbirds for a midsummer bloom period, and it thrives in the wet spots most shrubs can't handle.
Buttonbush is the reigning champion of pollinator plants in wet sites. In midsummer, the round white spherical flower heads, each one a dense globe of tiny tubular flowers, open and become one of the most consistently busy pollinator magnets we know. Monarchs, swallowtails, hummingbirds, and dozens of native bee species work the blooms all day. The fragrance is light and sweet on warm afternoons. It grows naturally in standing water, along stream banks, and in pond margins, places where you'd otherwise struggle to find a shrub that belongs. The glossy leaves are beautiful in summer, the round seed heads persist into winter, and waterfowl and shorebirds eat the seeds. If you have a wet spot, buttonbush is the answer.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown buttonbush propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Mature size
- 5'–10' · 60-120 inches wide
- Bloom time
- Midsummer, fall
- Family
- Rubiaceae
- Native range
- Eastern and Central North America
Care notes for buttonbush.
Full sun to part shade in moist to wet soil. Tolerates standing water, flooding, and clay. Essentially care-free once established in the right conditions. Prune in late winter to control size if needed. No serious pests or diseases. Toxic if ingested. do not plant where livestock graze.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside buttonbush.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.