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. Type: Shrub Origins: Eastern N. America; GA Native Height: 5’ - 6’ Spread: 4’ - 8’ Spacing: 6’ USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 - 9 Culture: Full Sun, Part Sun Bloom Color: White Season of Interest: Summer, Fall, Year-Round 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.
