Buttonbush (Cephalanthus Occidentalis) – 3 Gallon Pot

A fast-growing North American native shrub sporting unusual golf-ball sized flowers that look like as though they’re of extraterrestrial origin, the Buttonbush is one that will grow almost anywhere in America, USDA Zones 5a to 11. It will grow in almost any conditions including wet or dry soil and sun or part shade. The scented, creamy-white spherical flowers flowers have long styles that extend above the four anthers make it look like an artificial satellite or pincushion. The style is a long slender stalk that joins the stigma at its tip, which receives pollen produced by anthers, with the ovary at the bottom which produces the seed. Each flower lasts up to 4 days. These spherical blooms are attached like ornaments to the ends of branches. After the flowers are fertilized by pollinators, a hard-ball of reddish-brown nutlets (buttons) develops and matures from August to November. These buttons persist into winter and provide seasonal interest. They are also consumed by a variety of waterfowl. Buttonbush is one of the last native American shrubs to leaf-out in the spring when its oval to elliptical glossy green leaves emerge and unfold. These leaves provide food for the larval stage of the showy hydrangea sphinx and titan sphinx moths. They are also a food source for many pollinating insects and hummingbirds. Because of its adaptability, uniqueness, low-maintenance, and contributions to wildlife, we consider the Buttonbush as one of those “must-have” and easy-to-grow plants for the garden that anyone can grow. Just make sure you provide at least a space 10 feet wide for this larger one to grow.

Growing 6 to 12 feet tall and equally as wide, the Buttonbush is ideal for use as a specimen, grouping, or natural hedge in sunny to partially shaded landscape or flowering shrub and woodland borders that keep a consistently moist soil. That said, it does equally as well and won’t grow as quickly or as large in drier soils. Can be trained to form a single or multi-trunk small tree. A fine addition to fragrance gardens, rain gardens, white theme gardens, cottage gardens and North American native plant gardens and wildlife habitats. 

Suggested Spacing:  5 feet apart for hedge;  14 feet or more for space between plants

The Buttonbush is exceptionally easy to grow in a most any consistently moist to even dry soil of average fertility and sun to part shade. This makes it a perfect choice for a low lying spot in the garden that just doesn’t seem to ever dry out. We’ve seen no serious insect or disease problems. No pruning necessary but plants respond well to it.

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