The Beautiful Buttonbush Begin to Bloom at White Rock Lake

The Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) have started flowering at White Rock Lake in east Dallas. And what a spectacular sight it is! These perfect, beautiful Buttonbush flowers are clustered in white "balls," about the size of a ping-pong ball, and resemble a pincushion.

A Buttonbush cluster of stunning white flowers

Cephalanthus occidentalis is part of the coffee family, Rubiaceae, and is native to eastern and southern North America. The common names for this plant include Buttonbush, Common Buttonbush, Button-willow and Honey-bells (probably because of their fragrance).

Bees and butterflies visit the Buttonbush flowers for nectar, and they assist the plant with pollination. 

 Bees and butterflies visit the Buttonbush flowers for nectar

The Buttonbush is a semi-aquatic shrub that grows in water or moist soil. The plants in the images below were growing along the bank of the lake. Because of their love of water, Buttonbush plants are often seen in marsh areas, and bordering streams, ponds, and lakes. 

Crab spiders (see image below) blend in well with the white Buttonbush flowers, and the spiders love laying in wait for an unsuspecting insect to drop by. 

 Crab spider waiting for the insect to get closer

They also grow in w

Buttonbush blooms from June to August. In the image below, the flowers have begun to die off. When the flowers disappear, they leave brown, ball-like fruits filled with seeds. The seeds are eaten by ducks (especially loved by Mallards), geese, and shorebirds, so the waterfowl of White Rock Lake are in for a treat. The fruits stay on the plant from September to October.

 When the Buttonbush flowers die, seed balls will form