06/10/2026
Let’s talk about the Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis!
This pollinator powerhouse is a visual beauty that is also ecologically vital, especially for us and the wetlands here in Georgia. Here are the bullet points for what this shrub does (and why you should plant it in your landscape)
• Incredibly nectar rich and sweetly fragrant flowers. That are actually comprised of dozens of tiny tubular blossoms.
• Attracts butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and some of our largest and showiest moths
• Larval host plant for caterpillars of over 20 species
• Feeds dozens of waterfowl and songbird species with seed heads
• Provides excellent nesting sites and protective shelter for songbirds, shorebirds, and amphibians
• A highly adaptive root system. Which can tolerate flooding, anaerobic soil, several feet of standing water, and most soil types
• Amazing erosion control, especially in water margins
• While there’s not an exact volume, they can help absorb and process thousands of gallons of water per year
• Filters runoff pollutants (which causes water eutrophication- harmful algae blooms) It can remove petroleum products and up to 63% - 77% of nitrogen and 85% - 94% of phosphorus from stormwater runoff.
• It can be pruned to have a tree form for a rain garden or just as a gorgeous centerpiece of your garden
So if you have a wet spot in your landscape, a pond you can’t seem to handle algae blooms in, want to attract waterfowl, host caterpillars (like the Royal Walnut moth or Zebra Swallowtail butterflies), or see all the birds and pollinators that it feeds you should probably plant a Buttonbush
