Cephalanthus occidentalis

Buttonbush, Button-willow, Honey Bells
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

Average mature size of 3-6' tall, occasionally higher in southern areas.

Native Range

New Brunswick to Florida, west to southern Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, southern New Mexico, Arisona and central California.

Flower and Fruit Details

Flowers are creamy white, crowded in globular heads, 1-1.25" across, on peduncles in June, July, and August. Fruits are rounded masses of nutlets, persisting through winter.

Leaf and Bark Features

Bark on younger stems is slightly pubescent or glabrous, dirty gray brown to shining olive, becoming reddish-brown. Stems are weakly 4-sided.

Culture and Care

Best in moist soils, does not do well in dry areas.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA

The following taxa are (or were) represented in the collections at Boone County Arboretum. Additional taxa may be available in the trade that are not included here.

  • Cephalanthus occidentalis // Buttonbush, Button-willow, Honey Bells ("straight species")
    Shrub.
    Bed 184