Dig into Plants: Buttonbush

Buttonbush Other Common Names: Common Buttonbush, Button Willow, Honey Bells, Honey Balls Scientific Name: Cephalanthus occidentalis Native to Alabama: Yes
	Buttonbush Dreamstime Click on image to enlarge it

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Basic Plant Information

Buttonbush Wikimedia - Famartin Click on image to enlarge it	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

LEAF DESCRIPTION				Buttonbush Leaves Wikimedia - Plant Image Library from Boston Click on image to enlarge it
Leaf Characteristics Chart (PDF)

Shape: Ovate	Margin: Entire/Smooth	Arrangement: Opposite	Form: Simple


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


FLOWER DESCRIPTION			Buttonbush Flower James L. Reveal Click on image to enlarge it
Flower Shape Chart (JPG)

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

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


SEED DESCRIPTION			Buttonbush Seed Heads Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Sally and Andy Wasowski Click on image to enlarge it

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

Plant spreads by:
Seeds



BARK DESCRIPTION		Buttonbush Bark Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - James Garland Holmes Click on image to enlarge it
Color:	Texture:
Brownish gray	Peeling

Description:
Gray with a peeling texture

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.
	Dreamstime Click on image to enlarge it

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

Quick Fact Sheet
(Condensed Species Info)

Plant ID Sign:
Ready as-is PDF

Plant ID Sign:
Editable Word Doc

QR Code
(Links to this Webpage)

INFORMATION SOURCES FOR THIS PLANT

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center's Plant Database		USDA Plants Database
Alabama Plant Atlas		Minnesota Wildflowers
Missouri Botanical Garden		North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Alabama Outdoor Classroom Conservation Education Programs