Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub up to 12 feet tall and 8 feet wide. This shrub needs consistently moist to wet, rich soils in full to partial sun. It does well in swamps and riverbanks, and often in standing water up to 3 feet. It is multi-stemmed with flowers forming in dense clusters at the ends of the branches. The flowers bloom from June to September and the seed matures in the round clusters to reddish-brown and showy, and persists into winter.

Waterfowl and shorebirds consume the seeds of buttonbush. Wood ducks use the plant’s structure for protection of brooding nests. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds are attracted to buttonbush for its nectar. Bees use it to produce honey. It is moderately resistant to browsing by deer.