Plant of the Week: Butterfly Bush

Buddleia, more commonly known as Butterfly Bushes, are a gorgeous addition to any garden, particularly pollinator gardens. As the name implies, butterflies are huge fans of this deciduous shrub and will flock to its spikes of purple, pink, white or red flowers. Blooming begins mid spring and keeps going until fall, letting you and the butterflies enjoy spectacular color for months!

Most Butterfly Bushes average 5 to 8 feet tall and wide at maturity, but dwarf varieties only reach about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide and do well in containers. Buddleia work well when planted together as a hedge, individually to show off those spikes of colorful flowers or among other pollinator friendly perennials and shrubs.

Care

Full sun, at least 6 hours per day. While they can tolerate a bit less sun, they will flower much less as a result.

Well draining soil is key to Butterfly Bush happiness as they do not like wet feet. Amend soil with Lobster Compost to increase drainage. Moderately drought tolerant once established.

Not much pruning is required aside from occasional shaping and the removal of dead branches. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage new growth and prevent seed production.

Normally, Butterfly Bushes do not require fertilizer but plants grown in containers can benefit from a flowering shrub Fertilizer like Dr. Earth Total Advantage.

Some of Our Favorite Varieties

Black Knight – Featuring dark purple flowers, Dark Knight averages 6 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide.

Blue Chip – A dwarf variety, Blue Chip averages 2 to 3 feet tall and wide at maturity and has delicate bluish-purple flowers.

CranRazz – This variety makes a splash with its dark pink flowers. CranRazz averages 5 to 6 feet tall and wide at maturity.

Miss Ruby – This variety features dark magenta flowers and averages 4 to 5 feet tall.

Pugster Series – The Pugster Butterfly Bushes come in multiple colors, including pink, purple and white and stay a compact 2 feet tall and wide, making this variety a great choice for containers.

Royal Red – This eye-catching variety features stunning redish-pruple flowers and can reach 6 to 8 feet tall.