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Native Plant Society of Texas

Buttonbush

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Other common name(s):

Common Buttonbush, Button Willow, Honey Bells, Honeybells, Honey Balls, Honeyballs, Button-bush

Family:

Rubiaceae (Madder Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southern Texas Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift
Coastal Sand Plain, Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Laguna Madre Barrier Island and Coastal Marshes, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Llano Estacado
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Semiarid Edwards Bajada, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Shrub

Height

6
to
12
ft.

Spread

6
to
12
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Clay, Loam, Moist

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

High

Native Habitat

Riparian, Wetland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Pink, White

Bloom Season

Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Wildlife Benefit

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Moths, Nectar Insects

Maintenance

Buttonbush is a great shrub for naturalizing in wet areas and rain gardens. It is adaptable to a wide range of soils, but is not suitable for dry sites. Pruning may be done in early spring to control size if desired or to revitalize. Native habitat: swamps, around ponds and margins of streams throughout the state.

Description

Blooms June-September. A multi-stemmed shrub, often with crooked branches. Long, narrow leaves in pairs or in threes, with glossy upper surface, and duller lower surface. Tiny flowers are clustered in a white globe. The fruit is a round ball of nutlets. Seeds attract water fowl and other birds. Larval host: Titan Sphinx, Hydrangea Sphinx.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Cephalanthus occidentalis var. californicus, Cephalanthus occidentalis var. pubescens

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Buttonbush can be started from seeds sown outdoors in fall, immediately after the round brown seed pods are collected from plants. Successful seedlings will appear in late spring once temperatures are warm enough. Collections of seed can be made as soon as the fruiting heads turn reddish-brown, usually in October. Light pressure on the fruit will break them into separate seeds. https://www.growveg.com/plants/us-and-canada/how-to-grow-buttonbush/#:~:text=Buttonbush%20can%20be%20started%20from,want%20the%20plants%20to%20grow.
Stem Cutting Dip the cut end into rooting hormone and shake off any excess. Root the cuttings directly in moist ground where you want the plants to grow. Or fill a small pot with moist soil and poke a hole into the soil with your finger. Slide the cutting into the hole and firmly press the soil around the cutting. Place the cutting in an area with bright, indirect lighting and keep the soil moist. Roots should develop in a couple of weeks. Once roots form and new growth appears, you can transplant the cutting to its permanent location. Once the potted seedlings are at least a year old, transfer them to the garden, spaced about 3 feet apart. In spring, soon after new growth appears, select a stem that is around 4 to 6 inches long. It should have a node and some leaves on it. Using a sharp, clean knife, cut the stem below a node. Remove any lower leaves, keeping only the upper leaves. 1) https://www.thespruce.com/buttonbush-growing-guide-5323850#:~:text=Propagating%20Buttonbush,a%20purchased%20packet%20of%20seeds. 2) https://www.growveg.com/plants/us-and-canada/how-to-grow-buttonbush/#:~:text=Buttonbush%20can%20be%20started%20from,want%20the%20plants%20to%20grow. 3) https://www.thespruce.com/buttonbush-growing-guide-5323850#:~:text=Propagating%20Buttonbush,a%20purchased%20packet%20of%20seeds.

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason