Common Buttonbush

In the Backwoods wetlands, the Common Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is in bloom right now, and it is incredibly popular with butterflies! Eastern Tiger Swallowtails (Papilio glaucus) seem especially drawn to this native shrub, along with Silver-Spotted Skippers (Epargyreus clarus) and Zebra Longwings (Heliconius charithonia).

Buttonbush is a wetlands plant, and requires consistently moist soil to thrive. In Central Florida, the bloom time is generally mid May to early June, when the bush is covered in balls of blooms about an inch or so in diameter, appropriate for a plant whose Latin name Cephalanthus means “flowering head”. The nectar-rich blooms are followed by seed heads that wetland birds and other animals enjoy, making buttonbush a great all-around wildlife plant.

Buttonbush is a somewhat sprawling shrub, growing to 10 – 15 feet in height and width. It is found in freshwater wetlands (it will not tolerate salt or brackish water) from Maine to Florida and west to Texas. A subspecies, Cephalanthus occidentalis var. Californicus, grows from West Texas to California, also in wet soils. Other members of the Cephalanthus genus are found in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia.

Look for Common Buttonbush at native plant nurseries, especially in late spring when it’s in bloom. Find it here at BioWorks in the Backwoods along the wetland trail… the butterflies will lead you right to it!