The Buttonbush

Saw this cool tree yesterday.  Found out it is a Buttonbush.  It grows in the water, or in wet soil, and that's where we saw it - along the river.  It is called a bush but can grow into a tree of 12 - 15 feet.

The perfectly round, white flowers are about the size of a ping-pong ball, and are covered with a beautiful fringe of styles - like a pin cushion.  These ripen into green fruits, which can remain on the tree throughout the fall, eventually turning brown.  I've never noticed these amazing flowers before, and upon seeing them, I felt like I was looking at something from fairyland.

This is a native species, and very useful.  Wood ducks nest in it, butterflies feed on the flower nectar, waterfowl eat the seeds, and deer browse on its leaves.  When growing in water, its lower portion provides a home for tiny organisms that are eaten by fish.  They are also called Button-Willows, and Honey Bells.