Chinese Buttonbush
Adina rubella
Pickup currently unavailable at Aiken Nursery
A medium to large deciduous shrub closely related to the native buttonbush, Adina rubella wears smaller leaves and bears similar but daintier flowers: round, scented heads of pale pink and white, each bristling with styles into a small Sputnik, carried over a long season from early summer well into fall. The pincushion blooms draw bees and butterflies just as the buttonbushes do, and an open, arching habit gives the shrub a fine-textured grace.
Native to the streamsides and sandy banks of central and southeastern China and South Korea, the Chinese buttonbush takes happily to wet ground and ordinary soil alike, reaching perhaps ten feet in a warm climate. In Chinese and Korean folk medicine the plant has a long use, the leaves and bark prepared for dysentery, diarrhea, skin complaints such as eczema, and toothache, though the shrub reaches Western gardens as an ornamental and a pollinator plant.
A graceful, water-loving shrub for a pond edge, a rain garden, a streambank, or any moist, sunny to part-shaded spot where the long season of fragrant buttons can be enjoyed. Adina rubella tolerates wet feet that defeat many shrubs, pairs naturally with the native buttonbush and other moisture lovers, and can be cut back in late winter to keep the arching frame tidy.
- Hardiness
- USDA Zones 6–9
- Sun
- Full Sun, Part Shade
- Soil
- Moist, Well-drained
- Mature size
- Height 6–10 Feet · Spread 6–8 Feet
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Seasonality
- Deciduous
Scented pink and white globular heads, June to October
References & research
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is shared for traditional and educational interest only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before any medicinal use.
- Traditional folk use only; not evaluated as a modern medicine
- Consult a professional before any medicinal use
From rooting to shipping, our top priority is ensuring you receive healthy, thriving plants for your garden’s success.
Because most of our plants are grown from rooted cuttings — alongside seed, air layering, and grafting chosen for each variety — you receive a stronger, true-to-type plant that establishes quickly in your garden.
Raised on organic soil blends and eco-friendly pest management — never harsh chemicals — your plant arrives healthy for your garden, your family, and the pollinators they feed.
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All our plant material is carefully propagated, grown, and nurtured at our humble nursery in Aiken, South Carolina.
Your plant arrives carefully packed and ready to settle in. Unpack them promptly, give them a day or two to acclimate, then plant following the notes we include — that’s all it takes. Clear care guidance comes with every order, so success is the easy part.
What to expect upon delivery
All our plants are sold in 1-gallon sizes, though the height of each plant can vary depending on its growth rate and seasonality, typically ranging from 1/2 to 2.5 feet.
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