Wild Florida Photo
Nature Photography by Paul Rebmann
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Cephalanthus occidentalis
COMMON BUTTONBUSH
Florida native
A common shrub or small tree of swamps, cypress ponds and the margins of lakes, rivers and ponds thoughout most of Florida except the keys. The range includes all of the eastern United States west to Texas and Minnesota, and north into Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, plus Arizona and California.
Usually 3 meters high or less, common buttonbush can grow as tall as 15 meters. The most distinguishing features are the pincushion-like globular clusters of tiny white flowers that hang from the branches. The simple, entire lanceolate to elliptic leaves can be opposite or in whorls of 3 or 4.
Cephalanthus occidentalis is a member of the Rubiaceae - Madder family.