Introduction
Buttonbush has attractive, medium green leaves followed by a late spring flower display unmatched by many plants. White flowers are borne in a 1 to 1½ inch diameter globe and fill the canopy when few other plants are in flower. Bright red fruits have formed by late summer to bring the plant back into prominence in the landscape. Most people do not notice the plant until it flowers or displays its fruit.
Credit: Edward F. Gilman, UF/IFAS
Credit: Edward F. Gilman, UF/IFAS
Credit: Edward F. Gilman, UF/IFAS
Credit: Edward F. Gilman, UF/IFAS
General Information
Scientific name: Cephalanthus occidentalis
Pronunciation: seff-uh-LANTH-us ock-sid-en-TAY-liss
Common name(s): buttonbush
Family: Rubiaceae
Plant type: shrub
USDA hardiness zones: 4 through 10A (Figure 5)
Planting month for zone 7: year round
Planting month for zone 8: year round
Planting month for zone 9: year round
Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round
Origin: native to Florida
Invasive potential: not known to be invasive
Uses: specimen; border; mass planting; attracts butterflies
Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the plant
Credit: undefined
Description
Height: 6 to 12 feet
Spread: 6 to 10 feet
Plant habit: round
Plant density: moderate
Growth rate: slow
Texture: medium
Foliage
Leaf arrangement: whorled
Leaf type: simple
Leaf margin: entire
Leaf shape: ovate
Leaf venation: pinnate
Leaf type and persistence: deciduous
Leaf blade length: 4 to 8 inches
Leaf color: green
Fall color: no fall color change
Fall characteristic: not showy
Flower
Flower color: white
Flower characteristic: pleasant fragrance; spring flowering; summer flowering
Fruit
Fruit shape: round
Fruit length: ½ to 1 inch
Fruit cover: dry or hard
Fruit color: red
Fruit characteristic: showy
Trunk and Branches
Trunk/bark/branches: not particularly showy; typically multi-trunked or clumping stems
Current year stem/twig color: gray/silver
Current year stem/twig thickness: thin
Culture
Light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sun
Soil tolerances: acidic; slightly alkaline; sand; loam; clay
Soil salt tolerances: poor
Plant spacing: 36 to 60 inches
Other
Roots: usually not a problem
Winter interest: no special winter interest
Outstanding plant: not particularly outstanding
Pest resistance: long-term health usually not affected by pests
Use and Management
Most specimens of buttonbush are small, reaching no more than about 4 to 6 feet tall. Older plants can reach to 10 feet tall in a moist site and grow to more than 12 feet wide. Several stems emerge from the ground forming a flat-topped, vase-shaped canopy.
A native shrub best suited for wet sites, buttonbush adapts to landscape sites provided roots are irrigated or kept moist to wet from a nearby stream or pond. Some dieback may occur, especially in the southern part of its range, during moderate or extended drought.
A tea can be made from the inner bark which was used to induce vomiting. Chewing the bark is reported to relieve a toothache.
