Butterfly Bush Pruning

by Michelle Henner
(Brockport NY)

I have a butterfly bush - just planted this spring and doing great. What do I need to do to prune it and when?

Doug says that it can be pruned like any other semi-hardy, fall-blooming shrub. When the leaves fall off in the fall is a good time or first thing in the spring when you see what's alive after the winter.

This plant will die to the ground and come up from the roots in northern areas so don't worry about it being dead up top.

Trim in the spring is easiest and you can clean out the old dead wood and encourage new shoots.

You can see the effect of pruning cuts in this video