Buttonbush Pollen Color, Bloom Season and Bee Forage

Visual guideButtonbush pollen

Photo: The Cosmonaut · CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Facts

SeasonSummer

USDA Zone5 - 9

Plant TypeShrub

ForagePollen and nectar

Pollen ValueMedium

Nectar ValueHigh

Color FamilyOrange and amber

Scientific NameCephalanthus occidentalis

Common NamesButtonbush, Button willow, Honey bells

Native RegionsCanada, United States, Mexico

Range StatusNative across much of North America, especially wet habitats.

Color ConfidenceModerate

Color MethodA beekeeper plant-forage reference describes buttonbush pollen as yellow; the digital swatch is approximate.

Reviewed2026-10-11

Quick Answer

Buttonbush pollen is shown in this guide as an orange and amber tone. It is listed as shrub, associated with summer bloom timing, USDA zone 5 - 9, and pollen and nectar forage value.

Pollen Color Notes

The visual color shown for Buttonbush is grouped broadly with orange and amber pollen tones. It is intended for comparison and identification support, not as a laboratory measurement.

Pollen color is highly variable. Lighting, pollen age, moisture, collection method, cultivar, and local growing conditions can all change how pollen appears. Use this as general visual guidance, not a scientific color standard or guaranteed field match.

Bloom, Zone, and Forage Context

Buttonbush is listed for summer. The record lists USDA zone 5 - 9; hardiness zones are planning context, not a precise flowering calendar. Approximate bloom months in the supplemental notes: June, July, August.

Its forage type is pollen and nectar, with pollen value marked as medium and nectar value marked as high. Buttonbush is a useful summer pollen and nectar plant in wet gardens, pond margins, and riparian sites.

Identification Notes

Buttonbush is a wetland shrub with spherical clusters of small tubular flowers and long projecting styles that give each head a pincushion appearance.

Flower color note: Creamy white, sometimes pale pink. Flower color and pollen color may differ.

Related by Similar Color

Oakleaf Hydrangea - Orange and amber Virginia Sweetspire - Orange and amber American Bittersweet - Orange and amber Southern Catalpa - Orange and amber Golden Alexanders - Orange and amber Summersweet - Orange and amber

Related by Season

Adam's Needle - Summer American Basswood - Summer Basil - Summer Bee Balm - Summer Bindweed - Summer Bird's-Foot Trefoil - Summer

Related by Plant Type

Adam's Needle - Shrub Bell Heath - Shrub Berberis - Shrub Blackberry - Shrub Blackhaw Viburnum - Shrub Blackthorn - Shrub

Related by USDA Zone

Adam's Needle - Zone 4 - 10 Alder - Zone 2 - 7 Allium - Zone 3 - 9 Almond - Zone 4 - 8 Alsike Clover - Zone 3 - 8 American Basswood - Zone 3 - 8

Related by Bee Forage

Adam's Needle - Pollen and nectar Alfalfa - Pollen and nectar Allium - Pollen and nectar Almond - Pollen and nectar Alsike Clover - Pollen and nectar American Basswood - Pollen and nectar

Sources

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
United States Department of Agriculture / reviewed 2026-07-12
USDA hardiness zone context USDA PLANTS Database
United States Department of Agriculture / reviewed 2026-07-12
scientific name, common name, distribution context, plant classification Garden Plants for Honey Bees
Central Coast Beekeepers Association of Oregon / reviewed 2026-10-11
pollen color category, bloom month, pollen value, nectar value Selecting Plants for Pollinators regional guides
Pollinator Partnership / reviewed 2026-10-11
North American regional plant selection, native range context, bloom timing, pollinator value Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Foundation contributors / reviewed 2026-07-12
plant image, image credit link