Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Rubiales>Rubiaceae>Cephalanthus occidentalis L.
| A common medium-sized shrub found along lake margins and in other sunny, wet areas. During the summer it produces compact ball-shaped heads of white tubular flowers with excerted stamens. A female Sachem is lurking on this flower cluster. |
| The deciduous leaves are broad, entire, and either opposite or whorled. As you can see, buttonbush is a favorite of butterflies, such as this Silver-spotted Skipper. |
| After flowering the heads turn into ball-shaped "buttons". It can be difficult to photograph a buttonbush flower without a butterfly attached! (These are E. Tiger Swallowtails.) These photos were taken 7/15/03 at Lake Michie, Durham Co., NC. |
More information:
University of Connecticut
Virginia Tech Dendrology
Wetland Plants of the Carolinas
Revised 10/18/05 cwcook@duke.edu
All photographs and text ©2005 by Will Cook unless otherwise indicated.