Buttonbush

Tagged as: Butterflies, native, Plants for Shady Sites, Trees and Shrubs That Attract Birds, Plants Tolerant of Wet Sites

Botanical Name: Cephalanthus occidentalis*
Common Name: Buttonbush

Click image to enlarge

form	leaf

fruit	trunk

Height: 6-12'
Spread: 12-18'
Form: Upright arching
Rate: Medium (6 to 12 inches per year)
Zone: 5-10
Cultural/Comments: Sun to part shade; requires moist to wet soil; sensitive to drought and deep shade; late emerging glossy green leaves; fragrant, clusters of flowers in mid-summer; hard, 1-inch, ball-like fruit persistent throughout winter; use in naturalized wet areas

Host Nectar Source/Butterflies Attracted: Tiger Swallowtail, Painted Lady, Silver-Spotted Skipper

Birds Attracted: 24+ species, including robin, kingbird, and towhee
Plant Appeal: Nutlets persist through winter

Plant tolerant of flooded areas for extended periods of time.

* Native to Midwest

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