Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
South Africa
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Types
Cephalanthus occidentalis
-
Number of Varieties
720
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Boggy areas, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-113-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
10-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
365.76 cm1,830.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
182.88 cm8.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Yellow, Ivory
Tan, Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Yellow, Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
oblong or obovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires 4 to 8 inches of water above the soil line
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Blackspot mold
Plant Tolerance
Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
-
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Beetles, Birds
Allergy
Toxic
Miscarriage, Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Beautiful Skin, Heals Damaged Hair, Strong, beautiful hair
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Febrifuge, Laxative, Odontalgic, Ophthalmic, Tonic
Demulcent, Diuretic, Expectorant, Nutritive
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Inner Bark, Root, Wood
Fruits, Inner Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Used for woodware
Chewed as a thirst quencher, Tea-like beverage can be brewed, Used as a thickener in soups, Used to make a twine
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Cutflower, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BERZELIA lanuginosa
ULMUS rubra
Common Name
Buttonbush
Slippery Elm
In Hindi
Buttonbush shrub
Slippery Elm
In German
Button Strauch
Rotulme
In French
buttonbush arbuste
Slippery Elm
In Spanish
arbusto buttonbush
olmo resbaladizo
In Greek
Buttonbush θάμνος
Slippery Elm
In Portuguese
arbusto Buttonbush
Slippery Elm
In Polish
Buttonbush krzew
Slippery Elm
In Latin
Frutex Buttonbush
Lubricus Elm
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rubiales
Urticales
Family
Bruniaceae
Ulmaceae
Genus
Cephalanthus
Ulmus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1220
1
27800
👆🏻