Dig into Plants: Buttonbush

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Buttonbush

Other Common Names: Common Buttonbush, Button Willow, Honey Bells, Honey Balls

Scientific Name: Cephalanthus occidentalis

Native to Alabama: Yes

Buttonbush – Dreamstime

Learn More About...

Basic Plant Information

Buttonbush Wikimedia – Famartin

I am a vascular plant withwoody stems above ground, so I am a shrub.
I do not keep leaves year-round, so I am deciduous.
I die back in winter but regrow in spring for many seasons, so I am perennial.
I can grow 6 – 12 feet high and 6 – 12 feet wide.

Ecological Benefits

This plant provides food for:

Butterflies

Hummingbirds

Native Bees

Other Pollinators

Other Birds

Other Ecological Benefit(s):

Ducks, waterbirds, and shorebirds eat the seeds

Maintenance Notes

Dormant in winter.
Flowers can be cut for an indoor vase.
Pruning is not generally necessary.
Gather seeds in late summer before seed heads fall apart.
Can be propagated with stem cuttings.
When watering, hold hose to base of plant for a count of 5 seconds. Water should reach all roots.
Avoid sprinkling water on the leaves.
Until established, water two times per week during the summer and once per week during the rest of the year.

Habitat Requirements

This plant prefers:

Full Sun
(6+ hours of sun per day)

Part Sun/Shade
(2-6 hours of sun per day)

Moist to wet soils at all times

Sandy, Loamy, Clay, Limestone,
or Moist Soil

Leaf, Flower & Seed Identification

Buttonbush Leaves – Wikimedia – Plant Image Library from Boston

LEAF DESCRIPTION

Leaves are 2-6 inches long and 1-3 inches wide; long and narrow with a pointed tip and a rounded base; top surface is glossy while underside of the leaf is more dull; leaves are paired or in groups of 3.

Leaf Characteristics Chart (PDF)


Shape: Ovate	Margin: Entire/Smooth

Arrangement: Opposite	Form: Simple

Buttonbush Flower – James L. Reveal

FLOWER DESCRIPTION

Flowers have 4-5 petals each and are small and occur in round, white ball-like clusters that are around 1 inch in diameter; Flowers resemble a pincushion due to the pistils of the flower sticking out beyond the rest of the flower; fragrant with a sweet odor

Flower Shape Chart (JPG)


Color: White, tan, pink	Shape: Funnelform	Bloom Months: Jun – Sep

Buttonbush Seed Heads
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Sally and Andy Wasowski

SEED DESCRIPTION

Plant spreads by:
Seeds


Type: Fruit – Nut	Description: Reddish brown pyramid- shaped nutlets that occur in pairs of two; Occur in rounded masses that persist through the winter	Months in Seed: Fall - Winter

Buttonbush Bark – Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – James Garland Holmes

BARK DESCRIPTION

Gray with a peeling texture


Color: Brownish gray	Texture: Peeling

Plant Life Cycle

Plant Life Cycle:

All plants start life as a seed. Seeds contain the new plant (embryo) and the nutrients inside of a protective coat. They must be dispersed (moved to a new location)
Once a seeed lands in a suitable environment, it will begin to grow to form the cotyledon or sprout. Small roots will begin growing into the soil, and a small leaf is developed.
The sprout becomes a seedling, developing a stem and leaves above ground.
As the seedling continues to grow, it will develop into a mature adult plant.
Mature adult plants are able to produce flowers that can be pollinated. The pollination process leads to the formation of new seeds, and the process continues.

General Plant Life Cycle – Dreamstime

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

Quick Fact Sheet
(Condensed Species Info)

Plant ID Sign (Text Only):
Ready as-is PDF

Plant ID Sign (With Picture):
Ready as-is PDF

QR Code
(Links to this Webpage)

Plant ID Sign (Text Only):
Editable Word Doc

Plant ID Sign (With Picture):
Editable Word Doc

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