Berzelia lanuginosa, or Buttonbush is a an upright, clumping shrub that has a rounded crown and soft spreading, deep green foliage. When the foliage catches a light breeze it make a wonderful show with its long and slender branches and soft foliage.
From mid winter through to late spring it produces clusters of woolly button-like cream flowers at the stem tips which then turn to rather attractive and decorative seedheads which are tan/brown in colour.
Grow in shrubberies as a backgrounder or as a low screen. They also go very well in a large tub or planter and tend to attract birds and butterflies to your garden.
Buttonbush makes great fresh cut flowers and the dried seed heads are also good for flower arrangements.
Soil: Buttonbush will grow in boggy ground but does better in well drained, humus rich, slightly acid soils.
It will tolerate only a light frost and prefers a warm and sunny position.
Maintenance: Trim off seed heads to promote further blooming.
Comments: Berzelia was named after Count Jacob J. Berzelius, a famous Swedish chemist who created the first list of chemical symbols.