buttonbush - Ask Extension
will this plant grow in a normal lawn setting? I am only familiar with it in wetlands.
Knowledgebase
buttonbush #907742
Asked June 29, 2025, 7:17 PM EDT
will this plant grow in a normal lawn setting? I am only familiar with it in wetlands.
Knox County Ohio
Expert Response
Hello,
Yes, buttonbush or Cephalanthus occidentalis (Latin name), is a shrub that can work in a home garden. The shrub blooms best when planted in a consistently moist site and does not do well in dry soil. Buttonbush likes full to partial sun.
Buttonbush can grow to over 10 feet tall although some cultivars like 'Sugar Shack' and 'Fiber Optics' are smaller. It can be pruned back in the late winter in order to maintain a smaller compact size.
Here are a few articles about Buttonbush.
Thanks for asking Ask Extension.
Betsy B. - MGV
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cephalanthus-occidentalis/
https://www.xerces.org/blog/planting-for-pollinators-button-bush
https://bygl.osu.edu/node/618
Yes, buttonbush or Cephalanthus occidentalis (Latin name), is a shrub that can work in a home garden. The shrub blooms best when planted in a consistently moist site and does not do well in dry soil. Buttonbush likes full to partial sun.
Buttonbush can grow to over 10 feet tall although some cultivars like 'Sugar Shack' and 'Fiber Optics' are smaller. It can be pruned back in the late winter in order to maintain a smaller compact size.
Here are a few articles about Buttonbush.
Thanks for asking Ask Extension.
Betsy B. - MGV
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cephalanthus-occidentalis/
https://www.xerces.org/blog/planting-for-pollinators-button-bush
https://bygl.osu.edu/node/618
