Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Perennial
Origin
South Africa
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Canada
Types
Cephalanthus occidentalis
-
Number of Varieties
740
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Boggy areas, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
marshes, meadows, Slopes, Upland savannas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
365.76 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
182.88 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Yellow, Ivory
White, Purple, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires 4 to 8 inches of water above the soil line
Do Not over Water, Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Balanced garden plant fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Gray mold, Verticillium Wilt
Plant Tolerance
Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Toxic
Dizziness, Nausea
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Febrifuge, Laxative, Odontalgic, Ophthalmic, Tonic
Anodyne, Antibacterial, Astringent, Diarrhea, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Inner Bark, Root, Wood
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Used for woodware
Repellent, Used as a general tonic
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Cutflower, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BERZELIA lanuginosa
LIATRIS spicata
Common Name
Buttonbush
Gayfeather, dense blazing star, prairie gay feather
In Hindi
Buttonbush shrub
Gayfeather
In German
Button Strauch
Gayfeather
In French
buttonbush arbuste
Gayfeather
In Spanish
arbusto buttonbush
Gayfeather
In Greek
Buttonbush θάμνος
Gayfeather
In Portuguese
arbusto Buttonbush
Gayfeather
In Polish
Buttonbush krzew
Gayfeather
In Latin
Frutex Buttonbush
Gayfeather
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rubiales
Asterales
Family
Bruniaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Cephalanthus
Liatris
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Eupatorieae
Subfamily
-
Asteroideae
Number of Species
1251
1
27800
👆🏻