buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis L.
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Form
buttonbush form
Habitat
buttonbush habitat
Leaves
buttonbush leaves
Twigs
buttonbush twigs buttonbush twigs
Bark
buttonbush bark
Flowers
buttonbush early flowering buttonbush: partially mature flower head buttonbush: mature flowers buttonbush: mature flowers close-up
Fruit
buttonbush mature fruit
  • FAMILY: RUBIACEAE
  • LEAVES: simple, deciduous, opposite or whorled leaves; blades ovate-oblong, tips acuminate, margins entire, stipules interpetiolar, short and triangular
  • FLOWER: spherical head of white flowers, terminal and axillary; flowering July to August
  • FRUIT: dry schizocarp with two nutlets
  • TWIGS:
  • FORM: large multi-stemmed shrub, rarely arborescent, to ca. 25’ tall
  • HABITAT: wet swales in bottomland hardwoods, backwater swamps, floodplain lakes (forming shrub swamps), lake and pond margins
  • WETLAND DESIGNATION: Obligate Wetland (OBL): Almost always occurs in wetlands of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Plain Region
  • RANGE: eastern U.S. and some western states [MAP], [MAP][Map Legend]
  • USES: ornamental
  • WILDLIFE: moderately browsed by whitetail deer, ducks consume seeds; important cover plant for many species
    • Best Recognition Features:
    1. multi-stemmed shrub of very wet sites
    2. leaves opposite or whorled, simple
    3. spherical heads of flowers and fruits
    LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources

    School of Renewable Natural Reources    		 Louisiana Plant Identification and Interactive Virtual Tours
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    LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources
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