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Cephalanthus occidentalis - L.

Common Name Button Bush, Common buttonbush, Button Willow, Honey Bells, Buttonbush
Family Rubiaceae
USDA hardiness 4-10
Known Hazards The leaves contain glucosides and can be toxic in large doses. Symptoms include vomiting, convulsions, chronic spasms and muscular paralysis[274].
Habitats A lowland species, growing along the edges of streams, rivers, lakes, swamps and wet floodplains[229].
Range Eastern N. America - Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Minnesota and California
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (1 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Wet Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Cephalanthus occidentalis Button Bush, Common buttonbush, Button Willow, Honey Bells, Buttonbush


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Desmodium
Cephalanthus occidentalis Button Bush, Common buttonbush, Button Willow, Honey Bells, Buttonbush
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Munchkinguy

 

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Summary

Bloom Color: White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early spring, Late summer, Late spring, Mid summer, Mid spring. Form: Rounded.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Cephalanthus occidentalis is a deciduous Shrub growing to 7 m (23ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower in August, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs).
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Astringent  Diaphoretic  Diuretic  Dysentery  Emetic  Febrifuge  Laxative  Malaria  
Odontalgic  Ophthalmic  Tonic

Button bush was often employed medicinally by native North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a range of ailments[257]. It is little used in modern herbalism. A tea made from the bark is astringent, emetic, febrifuge and tonic[61, 222]. A strong decoction has been used to treat diarrhoea and dysentery, stomach complaints, haemorrhages etc[257]. It has been used as a wash for eye inflammations[222]. A decoction of either the roots or the fruits have been used as a laxative to treat constipation[257] The leaves are astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic and tonic[61, 222]. A tea has been used to check menstrual flow and to treat fevers, kidney stones, pleurisy etc[222]. The plant has a folk reputation for relieving malaria[222]. The inner bark has been chewed in the treatment of toothaches[222].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

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Other Uses

Wood

Wood - light, tough. Of no commercial value[229].

Special Uses

Scented Plants

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Landscape Uses:Border, Massing. An easily grown plant[1], it prefers an open position in a moisture retentive or wet neutral to acid humus-rich soil[200]. Dislikes dryness at the roots[11]. A calcifuge plant, it dislikes alkaline soils[200]. Requires a sunny position[184]. Plants are hardy to about -25°c[184]. A fast-growing but short-lived species in the wild[229]. The flowers, and the dried leaves, have a soft sweet fragrance like newly mown hay[245]. A good bee plant[149]. Plants are sometimes evergreen[200]. Special Features:North American native, All or parts of this plant are poisonous, Wetlands plant, Attracts butterflies, Fragrant flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - we have no details on this plant but would suggest sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe in an acid compost in a cold frame. Sow stored seed in late winter in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of soft or semi-ripe wood, July in a frame[200]. Layering.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Québec), United States (Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas), Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Campeche, Chiapas, Colima, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Tabasco, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave)

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

1143200

Links / References

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Subject : Cephalanthus occidentalis  
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