Button Bush Seeds

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is one of North America's finest native wildlife shrubs, offering outstanding value to birds, butterflies, bees, and countless other beneficial creatures throughout the growing season. Growing 6 to 12 feet tall, this attractive deciduous shrub produces unique globe-shaped clusters of creamy white flowers that resemble tiny pincushions suspended among glossy green foliage. Blooming during the heat of summer when many other shrubs have finished flowering, Buttonbush becomes one of the busiest wildlife plants in the landscape.

The fragrant flowers are rich in nectar and attract an extraordinary variety of honeybees, native bees, butterflies, hummingbird moths, and other pollinating insects. As the flowers mature into rounded seed clusters, American Goldfinches, Waterfowl, Sparrows, and numerous other birds feed upon the seeds, while the shrub itself supports a remarkable diversity of insects that become essential food for nesting songbirds. Few native shrubs contribute so much to the wildlife food chain from spring through autumn.

Buttonbush thrives in full sun to partial shade and naturally grows along streams, ponds, wetlands, and other moist locations, although it adapts well to ordinary garden conditions with adequate moisture. The handsome foliage, unusual flowers, attractive seed heads, and excellent wildlife value make it an outstanding choice for rain gardens, naturalized landscapes, pond edges, pollinator gardens, and backyard bird habitats. Once established, it is an exceptionally dependable and long-lived native shrub.

Growing for Wildlife: Allow the seed heads to remain on the shrub through autumn and winter whenever possible. The persistent seed clusters continue providing food for birds long after flowering has finished, while the dense branching offers valuable shelter and nesting sites. Buttonbush is particularly effective when planted near ponds, streams, or other water features where wildlife naturally congregates.

Favorite Wildlife

• ★★★★★ American Goldfinch
• ★★★★★ Native Bees
• ★★★★★ Butterflies
• ★★★★★ Waterfowl
• ★★★★☆ Native Sparrows
• ★★★★☆ Ruby-throated Hummingbird (flowers)
• ★★★★☆ Songbirds seeking nesting insects

Seedman Notes

Buttonbush is one of those remarkable native shrubs that seems to support wildlife at every stage of its life. Summer flowers attract an endless parade of bees and butterflies, the developing seed heads provide food for birds, and the insects living among the foliage become an important food source for nesting songbirds. If your goal is to create a garden filled with life rather than simply a collection of plants, Buttonbush deserves a place near the very top of your list. Few shrubs offer so much to so many forms of wildlife.