Cephalanthus occidentalis 'Fiber Optics' (buttonbush)

Maryland DNR Deer-Resistant Plant

'Fiber Optics' is a more compact and more manageable variety of the native buttonbush shrub that is such a magnet for pollinators. It grows to half the size of the species, with a height and width of 5–6'. Like the native, it bears distinctive globes of tiny white flowers with tiny spikes resembling fiber optics in June. It is happy in damp soil, ideal for rain gardens, but also tolerates drought once established. It prefers full sun but will tolerate a shadier area, too. The upright growth habit means 'Fiber Optics' needs little pruning for shaping. This medium-sized shrub is a good choice to add interest in the middle layer of understory planting or for low moist areas in your landscape. 

Buttonbush is native to eastern and southern North America. It is a common shrub of many wetland habitats in its range including swamps, floodplains, riparian zones, and moist forest understory. Deer browse the foliage. Wood ducks use the plant as nest protection. Insects and hummingbirds take the nectar, with bees using it to make honey. Buttonbush is a larval host to the hydrangea sphinx, the royal walnut moth, and the titan sphinx. Ducks and other water birds and shorebirds consume the seeds.

Photo by Kathy Thornton