Fiber Optics Button Bush is a native multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a compact rounded habit and unusual round flower clusters resembling pincushions. The foliage emerges red or copper and matures to a glossy dark green before turning copper again in fall. glossy serrated green leaves. The highly fragrant pincushion flower clusters are dove white and bloom in summer, followed by red red-brown fruits that last through winter. Prefers rich, moist to wet and well-drained soils.
Cephalanthus occidentalis is an excellent native replacement for butterfly bushes, and acts as a host plant for several types of butterflies and attractive moths. It also provides late season seeds and nesting areas for birds.
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Type:
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Shrub
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Origins:
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Eastern N. America; GA Native
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Height:
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5’ - 6’
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Spread:
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4’ - 8’
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Spacing:
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6’
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USDA Hardiness Zone:
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4 - 9
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Culture:
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Full Sun, Part Sun
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Bloom Color:
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White
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Season of Interest:
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Summer, Fall, Year-Round
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MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low maintenance. Can tolerate any soil condition but dry. No serious pest or disease issues.
LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Wildlife Gardens, Naturalized Areas, Pond Edges, Coastal Exposure, Urban Gardens, Foundational Plantings, and Hedges.
COMPANION PLANTS: Sweet Flag, Ferns, Iris
IMAGE: Rufino Osorio (also known as Desmodium), Cephalanthus occidentalis, CC BY-SA 2.5, (2) Famartin, 2020-06-28 13 17 59 Buttonbush flowers along Old Dairy Road in the Franklin Farm section of Oak Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia, CC BY-SA 4.0, (3) Photo by F. D. Richards, Cephalanthus occidentalis Fiber Optics 'Bailoptics', 2018 photo
*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.
