Species › Plants › Buttonbush

Buttonbush

Cephalanthus occidentalis

CommonPlant
Illustration of Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

Buttonbush is a native shrub that grows directly in standing water in swamps, pond margins, and slow streams, producing distinctive spherical white flower heads that attract enormous numbers of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Its round, button-like fruit clusters feed ducks and shorebirds. Few native plants are better for wildlife in wetland settings.

Habitat
Swamps, pond edges, and slow streams across eastern and central North America
Diet
Outstanding nectar for bees and butterflies; seeds eaten by 40+ waterbird species
How common
Common

Best time to see a Buttonbush

The best time to see a Buttonbush is June–August, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 59,987 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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