Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
[sef-ah-LAN-thus ox-ee-den-TAL-is]

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Rounded, Multi-Stemmed in the Rubiaceae Family

Cephalanthus occidentalis, commonly known as buttonbush, is a multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub native to wetlands across eastern and central North America, including throughout Illinois. It typically grows 6-12 feet tall and wide, with an upright, rounded habit.

Its most distinctive feature is its spherical, pincushion-like white (occasionally pale pink) flower clusters, which appear from June into August and are fragrant, drawing bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and moths. The flower balls mature into round, crimson-red to brown fruit clusters that persist into winter and feed waterfowl and other wildlife.

Buttonbush thrives in consistently moist to wet soil and tolerates standing water, making it a natural fit for rain gardens, bioswales, and pond or stream edges. It does not tolerate drought - in drier, sunnier spots it needs supplemental watering to avoid stress.

In the landscape it offers multi-season interest: glossy summer foliage that turns yellow-gold in fall, showy summer blooms, and winter-persistent seed heads. It works well naturalized in wet areas, in mixed borders with reliable moisture, or as a wildlife-garden specimen.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 8 - 12 feet tall. 6 - 8 feet wide.
Growth Rate Medium
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet
Zones 4a - 10b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Deciduous, Fragrant, Fragrant Flowers, Full Sun, Good for Rain Garden, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Pond, Potentially Toxic, Showy Flowers, Shrub, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant
Bloom Period June to August
Flower Color White
Foliage Color Glossy Green
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 04/13 - 09/30


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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!