headerphoto ***

Butterfly Bush



Butterfly bush or Buddleja are one of the great summer flowering plants in the garden.

Hardiness


They will survive in a USDA zone 4 garden with a 4-inch layer of mulch although they will die right to the ground and they are extremely late in coming back every year.

The older they get, the tougher they seem to become. In warmer areas, they may not die to the ground and will require a spring pruning to remove any deadwood. They can be a bit tricky to get through that first winter in colder gardens so do plan on deep mulching to give them that extra bit of protection. Remove the mulch once spring has arrived.

Planting


Nothing special here, simply get them into the ground and they’ll be fine. Leave the crown just below the soil level for best results.

Pruning


Remove all dead wood from the butterfly bush in the spring. In cold gardens, this can be done in the fall although I routinely did it in the spring so I would remember where the plant was located.

In warmer gardens, the plant can be shaped and pruned in the spring to produce a tall specimen by selecting 5-7 strong stems and cutting these back by half. In cold gardens, one is simply thankful if the plant appears each spring.

Sunshine


Full sun is best for this plant although a light shade will be acceptable.

Soils


Butterfly bush likes a well drained, fertile soil and the easiest way to feed this plant is to toss a shovel of compost around the base of the plant every spring.

Blooming


These plants will bloom in mid to late summer depending on the variety and these blossoms are extremely fragrant. Yes, butterflies are attracted to this plant and will congregate on it.

Propagation


The easiest way to get more plants that are true to name is by taking a tender tip cutting and rooting it. This is easily done. They are also easy to start from seed although they may not come true to name. Sow seed in the early spring indoors at a soil temp of 70F and they will germinate in a few weeks. Pot them individually and grow under full sunlight conditions at 65F until all danger of frost is gone. Plant outdoors. They will bloom the second season.








Do you have a question about Butterfly Bush?


Custom Search