Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Shrub
The pom-pom shrub. Perfectly spherical white flower heads — like small sputniks or crystal ornaments — open all summer long, held above dark glossy leaves. One of the few natives that thrives in true standing water.
The spec sheet.
- Habitat
- Wetlands, pond margins, floodplains, ditches
- Bloom time
- June – August
- Sun
- Full sun to part sun
- Soil
- Rich, tolerates wet to saturated soil and standing water
- Moisture
- Wet to boggy
- Height
- 3–8 feet
What it attracts.
The species that visit, feed on, or depend on this plant — and how they use it.
Bumblebees & native bees
Nectar source
Butterflies (many species)
Nectar source
Long summer bloom fills a mid-season nectar gap
Ducks & waterfowl
Fruit / seed source
Seeds are a documented food source for wood ducks and mallards
Hummingbirds
Nectar source
Perfect for a rain garden, pond edge, or the low corner that always puddles. Cut hard in early spring to control size — it regrows vigorously. Deer-resistant.
Xerces Society · Jersey-Friendly Yards · Native Plant Society of NJ
Other natives in bloom now.
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Butterfly Milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa
The orange one. A dry-meadow milkweed with clusters of small vivid blooms that hold a huge diversity of pollinators through the hot months.…
- Type
- Perennial flower
- Bloom
- Jun–Aug
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Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
The classic pink-purple prairie daisy with a raised copper-brown center. Blooms for months in the height of summer and holds up in a vase or…
- Type
- Perennial flower
- Bloom
- Jun–Sep
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Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
The pink milkweed. A tidy, upright plant that stays where you plant it — no aggressive runners like Common Milkweed — with clusters of small…
- Type
- Perennial flower
- Bloom
- Jun–Aug