Buttonbush vs Nuttalls Sunflower - TreeTime.ca

Buttonbush vs Nuttalls Sunflower

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Helianthus nuttallii

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Buttonbush
Nuttalls Sunflower

Buttonbush is a moisture loving shrub that provides year round interest.

It has round, fragrant flowers resembling small buttons or pincushions. The flowers transform into small reddish-brown fruit that persists into winter while the leaves take on shades of red in fall.

Providing essential food to bees, butterflies, and other insects, this shrub is versatile. Try it in your next shrub border.

Nuttall’s Sunflower is a native perennial wildflower known for its bright, golden-yellow blooms. Flowering from mid to late summer, it offers a late-season nectar source for various bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while the seeds provide a fall food source for birds. The upright growth habit adds structural height and visual variety to your landscape.

Nuttall’s Sunflower can be found growing in moist to wet meadows, prairies, and open spaces. It can spread quickly via underground rhizomes, making it ideal for large-scale plantings. It is well-suited for naturalization, soil stabilization, riparian zones, and wetland restoration projects. If planting in smaller urban yards or gardens, extra care and maintenance will be required to limit its spread.

Buttonbush Quick Facts

Nuttalls Sunflower Quick Facts

Zone: 4a
Zone: 2b
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: any
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: long
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, colony forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium


Flowers: large, white, spherical
Flowers: golden yellow, daisy-like
Bloom time: late summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Other Names: common tall sunflower