July Shrub of the Month-Buttonbush

Can there be a flower more fun than a buttonbush flower? (Cephalanathus occidentalis)These sputnik-looking spheres don’t look real, but they are fragrant, eye-catching, and unique, like little retro Christmas ornaments harking back to the atomic age. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds love the flowers that turn into hard, reddish-brown nutlets and persist into winter.

The name buttonbush is deceiving. It sounds cute…tiny even. But these fast-growing native shrubs can reach over 12-18’ high and nearly as wide in just a few years. They can be pruned into tree-like forms that will have your neighbors asking where you got that exotic species.

The smaller cultivar, SUGAR SHACK, is a smaller version growing to 3-4’ high and wide. 

Naturally found in low, wet areas, buttonbush is equally at home near the water’s edge or in a rain garden. I’ve found them performing well in drier areas, but moist areas are preferred in a full to part-sun location.

If planted in groups, buttonbush can develop into dense thickets. An excellent replacement for invasive honeysuckle if you are still harboring some to block the view of your neighbors.

For the plant ID geeks out there, this is one of the few ‘whirled’ leave arrangement plants of local flora. One might have to scan down the stem past the oppositely arranged leaves to find the three leaves arranged at one point, but it’s there, 

And speaking of leaves, buttonbush leaves are considered poisonous, containing Cephalathin, which will induce vomiting, paralysis, and convulsions if ingested. However, Native Americans used the bark and roots for numerous medicinal purposes. So, plant it, prune it, just don’t eat it.

What I love about this plant–

-It’s a native!

-Fun, fragrant flowers!

-Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love it.

-Birds eat the mature nuts.

-Great for rain gardens.

-Good replacement for invasive honeysuckle.

What’s not so great–

-People underestimate the mature size of buttonbush. Give it space.

-This is considered a low-maintenance shrub unless you are dealing with a thicket or trying to tame it into a ‘shape.’ Find a place where it can do its thing, or be prepared for lots of pruning in your future.

-Leaves are poisonous.

Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com

Words and photos by Jo Batzer

© Jo Batzer, garden-lou.com-2023, All rights reserved.