A Hardy Native Shrub That Supports Wildlife From Spring To Fall
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Planting
Most gardeners grow buttonbush from potted plants purchased at plant nurseries, but these fast-growing shrubs can also be grown from seeds. When grown from potted plants, you can expect buttonbush to bloom in about 1 to 3 years, while plants grown from seed should flower about 3 to 4 years after planting!
When to Plant Buttonbush
The best time to plant buttonbush seeds, or plants, is in early spring or early fall. Buttonbush seeds don’t need to be cold stratified to sprout, which gives you a lot more flexibility with planting times!
How to Plant Buttonbush
Plants
Dig a hole that’s slightly larger than your plant’s root ball, and amend the soil with compost if your soil quality is lacking. Locate the plant in the hole at the same depth it was growing in its nursery pot, backfill the hole with soil, add mulch, and give your new buttonbush a deep drink.
Seeds
Scatter the seeds over a weed-free, prepared planting spot, or surface sow the seeds in pots filled with damp seed starting mix. Keep the seeds in bright light, water often, and transplant the seedlings outdoors when they’re about a year old and have sturdy stems.
Growing
Buttonbush plants can grow in full sun or part shade as long as they receive at least six hours of daily light. In shadier spots, buttonbushes won’t grow as quickly or flower as well, and they may develop leggier stems.
All plants need water, but buttonbushes crave it. These water-loving plants can grow in soggy areas and even a bit of standing water, but they should never be allowed to dry out. During summer, make sure to water buttonbushes when the top few inches of soil feel dry and add mulch around the base to keep the soil damp a little longer.
Cold weather is no problem for buttonbushes, but these plants can struggle during summer heat waves. If you live in a hot climate, you can reduce summer wilting and plant stress by locating buttonbushes in partially shaded areas.
How to Care for Buttonbush Plants
Because they’re so cold-hardy, buttonbush plants don’t need much care in winter. Just apply a layer of mulch around your plant’s roots, and prune away dead or damaged stems in spring. If you prefer a more manicured garden look, buttonbushes can also be pruned to maintain a compact or tree-like appearance. Since these plants bloom on new wood, the best time to prune them is in late winter to early spring.
Fertilizer isn’t really necessary with these plants, and overfertilizing can actually cause buttonbushes to develop weaker stems. That said, I do like to feed my buttonbush with an annual layer of compost applied around the base of the plant in spring.
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Propagation
Buttonbush can be propagated from seeds collected from the plant’s spherical seedpods in fall. You can also grow new buttonbush plants from stem cuttings to get even faster results!
- Take four-inch-long cuttings from newly growing buttonbush stems in spring.
- Remove the lower leaves on the cuttings, but keep the leaves and buds at the very tip of the cuttings intact.
- Dip the cut stem ends in water, then in rooting hormone.
- Immediately plant the cut stem ends two inches deep in pots filled with damp potting mix. For best results, pre-poke your planting holes before sinking the cuttings in.
- Keep the cuttings in bright, indirect light and water enough so the soil stays evenly moist.
- The cuttings should start to root in about 2 to 3 weeks.
- Once the roots are well-formed and the cuttings are producing new growth, transplant the cuttings outdoors into an appropriate planting area.
- If you’re planting multiple cuttings together, space them at least three feet apart.
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