FNPS Plant Database
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Nomenclature
Common Name:
Synonym(s):
Genus species:
Family:
Rubiaceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
Size:
Life Span:
Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:
Fruit Color:
Phenology:
Noted For:
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Considerations:
Availability:
Propagation:
Light:
Moisture Tolerance:
Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry
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Stays wet -to- Usually moist, occasional inundation
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:
Unknown
Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
Soil or Other Substrate:
Sand, Clay, Loam, Organic
Soil pH:
Suitable to Grow In:
8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11
USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Ecology
Wildlife:
Host plant to several moths including titan sphinx ( Aellopos titan ) and hydrangea sphinx ( Darapsa versicolor ) moths ( https://xerces.org/blog/planting-for-pollinators-button-bush ).
Flowers are very attractive to a variety of insects including butterflies and bees.
Deer browse the foliage. Ducks and other birds including jays, cardinals, nuthatches, titmice, warblers, and mockingbirds consume the seed.
Native Habitats:
Natural Range in Florida:
Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants
Comments:
Ethnobotany:
General Comments:
Noted for it's round satellite "ball" flowers and round "button" fruits. Fragrant.
Sources disagree on salt tolerance of this plant.
Citations:
Cornel University. http://woodyplants.cals.cornell.edu/plant/429 - salt spray/salty soil
Connor, K. 2004. Cephalanthus occidentalis buttonbush, p. 170-172. In: J. K. Francis (ed.). Wildland shrubs of the United States and its territories: thamnic descriptions: vol. 1. Gen. Tech. Rep. IITF-GTR-26. San Juan, PR:
Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell. 1999. Native Florida Plants. Gulf Publishing Company. Houston, TX.
Hammer, Roger L. 2015. Attracting hummingbirds and butterflies in tropical Florida. University Press of Florida.
Institute for Regional Conservation. Accessed 2021. Natives for Your Neighborhood.ephoc https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Cephocc i.
Nelson, Gil. 2003. Florida's Best Landscape Plants. Association of Florida Native Nurseries.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toobox. Cephalanthus occidentalis (Buttonbush) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu).
Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Tras, Pamela. 2001. Gardening for Florida's butterflies. Great Outdoors Publishing, St. Petersburg, FL.
University of Tennessee Extension Service. Desired Ph Range and salt tolerance of common nursery plants. https://extension.tennessee.edu/mtnpi/Documents/handouts/Fertility/Desired-pH-Range-List.pdf accessed 2021.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, and Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. < https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_series/iitf/iitf_gtr026.pdf >.
underlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.
Xerces Society. https://xerces.org/blog/planting-for-pollinators-button-bush /
