Common Buttonbush - Cephalanthus occidentalis

Common Buttonbush - Cephalanthus occidentalis is most easily recognized by the simple, whorled or opposite leaves and creamy white globe like heads on it's tubular flowers.  It is a deciduous shrub or small tree that ranges in height from 9-45 feet on average.  This variety grows in an erect upright fashion with a single main trunk, open crown and vase shape.  It is native to The United States and can be found growing in all but 10 states (those 10 are Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, North Dakota and South Dakota).  It is primarily found in swamps, wetland depression, stream banks, lake and pond margins from the East to the West coast.

Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University, Bugwood.org

The bark is smooth when young becoming rigid and furrowed with age.  The leaves are simple, whorled or opposite, lanceolate or elliptic with a wedge shaped base.  The upper surface is lustrous and dark green, the lower surface is paler with conspicuous veins.  The flowers are bisexual, creamy white and tubular, produced in large numbers in globular, pendant or ball like heads 2-4 cm in diameter. The fruit is a capsule like shape 5-8 mm long,  maturing in Summer to early Autumn.  

Troy Evans, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Bugwood.org

The Common Buttonbush is vegetatively similar to the Georgia Fever Tree (Pinckneya bracteata), both are found in wetland areas.  They are best distinguished from one another by the differences in flower and fruit.

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