Butterfly bushes (buddleia davidii) are actually flowering shrubs that can be grown as perennials. They are a wonderful addition to the back of the garden or border. Most cultivars grow to about 5 or 6 feet during the summer. I’ve had some reach 10 to 12 feet when grown in full sun. They come in white and shades of pink and purple, and they grow happily in sun or partial shade.
Some of my favorite cultivars include:
- ‘Attraction’ (reddish-purple, pictured above)
- ‘Pink Delight’ (medium pink, pictured below)
- ‘Royal Red’ (reddish-purple, similar to ‘Attraction’)
- ‘Potter’s Purple’ (my favorite cultivar, pictured below with Zinnia ‘Benary’s Crimson’)
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Once a butterfly bush is done blooming for the summer, it’s best to leave the plant undisturbed until spring. I wait until late April and then cut back the branches to about 10 inches. Sometimes new shoots will form on the cut-back branches, but usually I find them peeking out right at ground level. You have to be careful not to knock off those new shoots when you are cleaning up the garden in spring. Even though they start from the ground each year, you’ll be amazed at how fast they get tall and shrubby. And yes, they really do attract butterflies like crazy!
2 comments
Hi “Em” Great name! Would you like to come and do my flowers next year. It’s a beautiful website and I will be sure to keep an eye on it. We love birds too, but those poor squirrels – they like to take a bite off our apples – and you know who then goes after them!!! I’d like to hear from you if you have time from doing all those things that you do. How do you remember the names of all those flowers? Do you have a chart or are you just good at remembering?
Both! I’m really good at remembering to write stuff down! 😉
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