Button Bush, Common Buttonbush, Buttonbush, Button Willow, Honey Bells, Honeybells, Honey Balls, Honeyballs, Button-bush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
WNC NATIVE & of exceptional value to wildlife. Nectar-rich white pincushion flowers attract many pollinators, such as bees, butterflies (including eastern tiger swallowtails), and hummingbirds.
Host plant for some fun and funky moths, including the royal walnut moth (Citheronia regalis), titan sphinx (Aellopos titan), and the hydrangea sphinx (Darapsa versicolor).
Showy red-brown fruits are packed with seeds. They attract and feed birds, such as ducks.
Great in rain gardens, along stream banks and ponds, and other moist areas. They are excellent for streambank restoration projects.
Resilience: We know of at least one Button Bush in Buncombe county that survived flooding by Hurricane Helene, having 1-2' of silt and garbage dumped on top, and being run over by two different massive pieces of construction equipment.
Deciduous.
Zones 5a-9b.
5-8’T x 3-6’W.