Pollinator plant

buttonbush

Cephalanthus occidentalis

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Common names

22 names · 17 languages
EnglishYour language
+3 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (16)
Dutch
  • Kogelbloem
French
  • céphalanthe occidental[2][3]
Alabama
  • Sakcho imitto[3]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 北美风箱树[3]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 西洋風箱樹[3]
Czech
  • hlavoš západní[3]
Danish
  • amerikansk knapbusk[3]
Finnish
  • lännenkeräpensas[3]
German
Mvskoke
  • sakco ’meto[3]
Russian
  • Цветоголовник западный[3]
Slovak
  • hlávkokvet západný[3]
Spanish
Swedish
Ukrainian
  • Цефалантус західний[3]
Zapoteco
Sources & name notes (3)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Cephalanthus occidentalis — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Buttonbush — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • Button Bush — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
[2] Cephalanthus occidentalis — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • buttonbush — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • Westlicher Knopfbusch — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • button bush — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • button-willow — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • california button willow — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • common buttonbush — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • honey-bells — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • jazmín tallo — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • céphalanthe occidental — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
[3] Cephalanthus occidentalis — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • buttonbush — results[17].names[1]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • Westlicher Knopfbusch — results[17].names[17]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • button bush — results[17].names[9]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • button-willow — results[17].names[7]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • california button willow — results[17].names[2]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • common buttonbush — results[17].names[3]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • honey-bells — results[17].names[8]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • jazmín tallo — results[17].names[4]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • céphalanthe occidental — results[17].names[13]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • ya-yado — results[17].names[5]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • 西洋風箱樹 — results[17].names[10]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • Цветоголовник западный — results[17].names[11]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • hlavoš západní — results[17].names[12]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • Sakcho imitto — results[17].names[14]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • 北美风箱树 — results[17].names[15]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • amerikansk knapbusk — results[17].names[16]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • bollbuske — results[17].names[18]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • lännenkeräpensas — results[17].names[19]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • sakco ’meto — results[17].names[20]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • hlávkokvet západný — results[17].names[21]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
  • Цефалантус західний — results[17].names[22]; taxon id 52763; Cephalanthus occidentalis.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Botanical family
Rubiaceae

Genus-level classification for Cephalanthus; this does not confirm the complete catalogue name.

Sources [1]
Taxonomy
NC State Extension publishes a profile under Cephalanthus occidentalis.

Profile-name match; no accepted-name status is asserted.

Sources [2]
Mature height
1.52–2.44 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.91–1.83 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Irregular; Multi-stemmed; Open; Rounded

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Medium

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Deciduous

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Frequent Standing Water; Moist; Occasionally Dry; Occasionally Wet

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, pollinators.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Native range
E. Canada to C. America, Cuba.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Medium
Pollen value Unknown
Plant profile

About this plant

buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is a shrub. It flowers from July to August.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Cephalanthus — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 3538772; ID 8VW3C; rank genus; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Cephalanthus occidentalis — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: TaxonomyMature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Main botanical heading (h1)
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Cephalanthus occidentalis — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 977638; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 46383, 46384, 46385, 46386, 46387, 46388, 46389, 46390, 46391, 46392, 46393, 46394, 46395, 46396, 46397, 46398, 46399, 46400, 46401, 46402, 46403, 46404, 46405, 46406, 46407, 46408, 46409, 46410, 46411, 46412, 46413, 46414, 46415, 46416, 46417, 46418, 46419, 46420, 46421, 46422, 46423, 46424, 46425, 46426, 46427

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.