Buddleia ‘Honeycomb’

I tried a new butterfly bush (buddleia) last summer called ‘Honeycomb’. The plants grow 6 to 8 feet tall with golden-yellow panicles.

My plant grew about 4 feet tall and bloomed all summer long. Not only were butterflies fond of the flowers, but the neighbor’s honeybees were big fans as well.

I’ve seen conflicting growing information about ‘Honeycomb’s’ hardiness. I’m in Zone 5, so growing butterfly bushes that will survive winter is already a hit-or-miss prospect. Some nurseries suggest ‘Honeycomb’ is like other buddleias and thrives in zones 5-9. Others say it’s less hardy and should only be grown in zones 6-10.

I mulched my plant when the ground finally froze in early December, and since then it’s been buried under many inches of insulating snow. It will be interesting to see if ‘Honeycomb’ shows any signs of life when spring arrives. If it doesn’t, I’d be tempted to buy another one and grow it as an annual. The flowers are very pretty, and they’re quite a hit with the nectar-gathering crowd.