41 Buttonbush Facts: Appearance, Uses, And Other Interesting Trivia

Buttonbush flowers are fragrant flowers that belong to the genus of around six kinds of shrubs.

These are white flowers that can also be considered a part of a small tree. The flower is majorly famous for its color and fragrance and is widely used in American countries.

The scientific name of the flower is Cephalanthus occidentalis and is the most famous member of the genus. The shrubs can be seen in areas that extend up to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and the south of Florida. Western places like Nebraska and Texas have some plantations of this species.

Facts About Buttonbush Plants

Buttonbush flowers are these beautiful white flowers with glossy leaves which can be found in countries of North America. There are a lot of fascinating facts about the common buttonbush that can be informative.

• These shrubs or small trees are perennial and are known to survive for almost 2 years in the wild habitat.
• The scientific name, Cephalanthus, originated from two Greek words. 'Kephalos' means head and 'anthos' means a flower.
• The shrubs start blooming during the months of spring and summer, and slowly turn into fruits during the winter months.
• The flower head is spherical with a creamy fragrance that has given the flower its name.
• Apart from buttonbush, the flower is also known by other names like common buttonbush, buttonwillow, and honey balls.
• Known as a honey plant, these flowers are considered to be a nectar source for insects. Insects extract nectar from the plant and help in the process of pollination as well.
• Majorly found in wetlands, these flowers can be as tall as 236.2 in (6 m) on average. They can be taller than this occasionally.
• They are deciduous shrubs that bear fruit as well. Flowers that were initially white can be seen turning into brown edible fruit at a later stage.
• The plant is considered to be easily spreading during early fall, but is considered to be comparatively shorter-lived than other American shrubs. They live up to a maximum of 2 years in the wild.
• These species do not face a lot of trouble due to pests and insects. The proper location of the plant can prevent the plant from being attacked by pests.
• These plants start growing during early summer or mid-summer and start shedding leaves during the onset of autumn.
• Although shrubs can be entirely edible to a few animals, there have been incidents of the shrubs being toxic to humans and cattle.
• The common buttonbush contains cephalothin which may be indigestible to a few people, leading to vomiting and paralysis depending on the proportion.

Uses Of Buttonbush Plants

As we know, these seasonal flowers are majorly used to decorate. Apart from that, in recent times, there have been other commercial and medical uses of these flowers. The plantation of the plant also helps in conserving wetlands.

• Due to the nectar source of the plant, the initial uses of it were discovered by beekeepers to provide a food source to bees.
• Their seeds are useful as well. The seeds of the flower are considered to be a healthy food source for ducks and other waterfowl.
• These small trees are often used to restore seasonal wetlands and create wildlife habitats. Roots of the plants are used to cease erosion in the wetlands.
• For restoring the wildlife habitat and wetlands, the buttonbush is seen to be growing as deep as 36 in (88.9 cm) in the water.
• Apart from flowers and fruits, leaves are eaten by insects and hummingbirdsat the larval stage
• Leaves and fruits are considered to be edible by insects and a few waterfowls, and leaves are fed on by the showy hydrangea sphinx and titan sphinx moths.
• The bark of the plant is bitter to taste and is seen to be applied in various household remedies, although the exact medical benefits of the shrub are yet to be discovered.
• Songbirds are seen to make nests on bushes of the shrubs. In fact, shrubs are seen to provide shelter to frogs and salamanders.
• Americans are known to use the bark to cause vomiting and clean their bodies from the inside.
• This shrub is also used to treat fever, headache, and sore eyes. Muscle inflammation and kidney stones are also treated with these shrubs.

Buttonbush's Habitat

When we talk about the habitat of this shrub, it takes us to wetland areas and regions of North America. Their flowers grow in bunches but in a scattered manner around lakes and marshy areas.

The wet soil is the necessary component for flowers to grow, apart from the partial shade of the sun. Hence, they are only found in wetlands.

• The suitable soil for this shrub is considered to be wet. The soil requires a constant supply of water for the plant to grow efficiently. Depending on the soil, the length of each shrub may differ.
• These flowers are mostly found in marshy areas and swamps near small lakes.
• Apart from the marshy areas, they can also be found in low-lying areas and bogs. Edges of rivers and streams also provide suitable soil for plants to grow.
• The habitat of the plant also contributes to developing wildlife habitat.
• The habitat of the shrub is mostly continuous in the northern areas like North America, Ontario, and Texas but is seen to have scattered populations in northern Mexico, New Mexico, and Southern California.
• Even if plants survive in wet soil, they can never survive in a drought condition. Supplement watering is considered to be necessary for them.
• The water in these marshes and swamps is usually saturated. Soils are mostly alluvial or loamy. This soil can be even slightly acidic.

Buttonbush's Characteristics

Characteristics of the plant can be visually simple but difficult when we segregate it biologically. Buttonbush has a creamy early spring smell that it brings along with its white essence.

• Leaves grow in a set of three or two. They grow from ovate to narrower and have a pointed tip. The surface has a glossy texture on the top and is dull towards the lower part.
• The flower is white and is a distinctive part of the body. The flower is comparatively small and appears to be dense. The flower heads are seen in small clusters.
• Although the flower has a spherical shape, it can be open and have irregular forms at times. Due to this, the plant can be termed as disheveled or unkempt as well.
• The leaf color keeps changing from the time of blooming and wilting. Initially, they are dark green in color but turn into a mixture of shades of brown and yellow.
• This shrub is one of the last native American shrubs. During late spring is when the dark green leaves are seen to unfold themselves.
• The stalk of the plant are quite long and extend up to four anthers, making it look like a satellite with an antenna or a pincushion.
• The tip of the stigma is connected to the stalk which collects the pollen. The tip receives the pollen from the anther.
• They are multi-branched plants where the flower heads are attached to the body like an ornament. They are supported by long stalks which are alternatively known as peduncles.
• During the months of August to September, the flower gets fertilized and turns into a brown-colored fruit. The fruit is only seen during the months of winter.
• Nutlets of the plants are seen to be in the form of rounded masses. During this time, the trunk gets twisted as well to support the fruit.
• The shoot that grows initially is seen to be reddish-brown in color, that later turns into dark green leaves.