How do you take care of a butterfly bush
Butterfly Bush - The Ultimate Care Guide
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BUTTERFLY BUSH CARE
Butterfly bush are easy to grow, but you do need to know a bit about their preferences and requirements to achieve maximum success.
- Butterfly bush need full sun. When we say full sun, we mean it – butterfly bush require a minimum of 8 hours of bright sunlight. Even in warm climates, plant them where they get no fewer than 6 hours of sun.
- Butterfly bush need perfect drainage. Their roots are sensitive to rotting, and if they spend any amount of time in wet soil, they can be set back or even die. Most of the time, if you lose a butterfly bush after winter, it wasn’t due to low temperatures or snow or ice – it was because the plant sat in cold, wet soil in fall or spring.
- Butterfly bush can grow in clay soil, but require a few special accommodations.
Because they need good drainage and dislike cold wet conditions, there are a few tips that will increase your success with butterfly bush if you have clay soil:
- Never amend the soil. Don’t add top soil, potting soil, compost or anything at planting time. Plant directly into your natural soil. This is true for all shrubs, but is even more important with butterfly bush, as amending any soil, and particularly clay soil, can cause drainage problems.
- Plant “high” – instead of positioning the plant even with the ground level like you would other plants, dig a slightly shallower hole (yep, that means less work!) and position it so that the base of the plant is a bit higher than the ground. This creates a small “hill” that encourages water to drain away from the plant rather than settle around it.
- Avoid mulching directly around your butterfly bush. Mulch is a great idea for other species of plants, but in clay soil, it can hold too much moisture. Go ahead and mulch your beds, but give your butterfly bush a bit of clearance, and never mulch all the way up to the main stems.
- Prune in spring, after the new growth emerges. Many people cut their butterfly bush back in autumn, as part of their fall clean up. But particularly in cold climates, this can leave your butterfly bush more susceptible to damage over winter. Do not prune until you see green buds on the stems. Make your cuts just above where big, healthy leaf buds have formed. It can take several weeks into spring for new growth to show up - be patient and resist the urge to cut them back too early.
- But do prune your butterfly bush. Left unpruned, large butterfly bushes can become “second story” plants: their flowers form way up at the top so you can’t enjoy them unless you have a second story window. The warmer your climate, the more you should cut back your butterfly bush each spring. Even dwarf varieties like our Lo & Behold® series still need pruning – you’ll just be cutting back less than you would on a variety that reaches 8’ tall.
- Be patient. Butterfly bushes tend to be one of the later plants to leaf out in spring. Even if everything else in your landscape is turning green, that doesn’t mean you’ve lost your butterfly bush. Many people recommend waiting til as late as Father’s Day (the third Sunday in June) to be certain their butterfly bush perished. It can be very surprising to see how quickly a butterfly bush can recover, even if it takes that long to come back! Learn more about this phenomenon in our article, Plants that Push the Snooze Button on Spring.
- Don’t overwater. Particularly if you have clay soil, watch watering carefully. If you have an irrigation system, be sure it’s not inundating your butterfly bush. Signs of overwatering include weak stems, fewer flowers, and dieback.
- Avoid fall planting. Because butterfly bush may get a bit of winter damage in cold climates, it’s best to give them as long a time as possible to get established before they face the challenges of the cold, wet season.
In USDA zones 5 and 6 especially, keep butterfly bush planting time to spring through mid-summer so the plants have ample opportunity to develop a good root system to sustain them through winter.
You’ll find a range of colors, sizes, and habits among our butterfly bushes:
| Lo & Behold® series: small and mounded. Perfect for flower gardens. Lo & Behold® ‘Purple Haze’ is the largest of this series; Lo & Behold® ‘Pink Micro Chip’ is the smallest. Lo & Behold® ‘Blue Chip Jr.’ is the earliest to bloom of the series. |
“Miss” series: medium height (4-5’/1.2-1.5m tall), refined, elegant habit, intense colors. The flowers of ‘Miss Molly’ are as close to red as you’ll find in a butterfly bush. ‘Miss Pearl’ offers pure white blooms that look especially magical at night. |
| Pugster® series: short and stocky, with full-sized flowers in saturated colors. The thick stems of our newest series makes these an excellent choice for areas where butterfly bush experience a lot of winter dieback. Pugster Blue® is especially exciting, with its true-blue blooms. |
Is butterfly bush invasive?
Butterfly bush has become invasive in some areas, and is on invasive plant watchlists or even banned in some states. This is why we work with renown plant breeder Dr. Dennis Werner of North Carolina State University to introduce seedless and non-invasive varieties, like the Lo & Behold® series and the “Miss” varieties. These plants have been approved for sale in Oregon, where others are banned. However, in these states, they are sold under the name “summer lilac” instead of “butterfly bush” to clarify that they have been approved by their respective departments of agriculture.
Are they the same thing as butterfly weed?
No. When most people say “butterfly weed,” they are referring to one of several species of milkweed (Asclepias sp.), an herbaceous plant. Butterfly bush (Buddleia sp.) is a woody plant (shrub).
Are butterfly bushes bad for butterflies?
Butterfly bush attracts butterflies because its flowers are high in nectar. However, this nectar only sustains the butterflies themselves – it does not provide crucial food sources for caterpillars (which are the larval or “baby” stage of a butterfly’s life cycle). If you want to create a truly butterfly-friendly garden, don’t just plant a butterfly bush - plant a wide variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals that bloom at different times to provide an ongoing, diverse buffet for the babies and adults alike. Be sure to include plenty of plants that are native to your area – contact your local cooperative extension office for specific recommendations.
How big do butterfly bushes get?These large shrubs range from 5 to 8 feet tall and just as wide once they reach maturity.
If you're looking for a smaller butterfly bush size, try a dwarf variety, which are in the 2 to 3-foot range. Yearly pruning will help keep the size of your butterfly bush manageable.
Should you deadhead butterfly bushes?
All of our butterfly bush will bloom all summer long without deadheading (the process of removing seed heads). To eliminate the possibility of butterfly bush spreading, you can cut off and dispose of the seedheads left on the plant in autumn - as long as you aren’t doing any major pruning into the plant, it’s perfectly fine to do this.
Can the blooms be cut to use in flower arrangements?
Yes, but unfortunately, they don’t hold up very well in a vase. If you want to try, cut them early in the morning and place the stems in water immediately after cutting.
Can you grow butterfly bush in pots?
Yes! Butterfly bush will thrive in containers. Be sure to select a container that has several large drainage holes, and fill the container only with a fast-draining, light-weight potting mix.
The container you select should be made out of a weather-proof material that can be left outdoors year-round.
Learn more in our Shrubs in Containers article
More shrub growing guides:
- Rose of Sharon
- Spirea
- Ultimate Guide to Panicle Hydrangeas
Ask a Question or Give Feedback about this article.
Butterfly Bush Care - How To Care For A Butterfly Bush
Home › Ornamental Gardens › Shrubs › Butterfly Bush
Butterfly Bush
By: Jackie Carroll
Image by relish5
Butterfly bushes (Buddleia davidii) are grown for their long panicles of colorful flowers and their ability to attract butterflies and beneficial insects. They bloom in spring and summer, but the naturally attractive shape of the shrub and evergreen foliage keep the bush interesting, even when it is not in bloom.
These tough plants tolerate a variety of conditions and are hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. Find out more about butterfly bush planting and care.
Butterfly Bush Planting
Planting a butterfly bush in an optimum location minimizes the time you’ll spend on maintenance. Choose a sunny or partly shaded area where the soil is well-drained. Soil that is constantly wet encourages rot. When planted in good quality garden soil, a butterfly bush rarely needs fertilizer.
Give your butterfly bush plenty of room. The plant tag will tell you the mature size of the cultivar you have chosen. Although butterfly bushes tolerate severe pruning to maintain a smaller size, you can reduce the time you’ll spend pruning by planting it in a location with plenty of room for the plant to develop its natural size and shape. Butterfly bushes grow from 6 to 12 feet (2-4 m.) tall with a spread of 4 to 15 feet (1-4.5 m.).
NOTE: Butterfly bush is considered an invasive plant in many regions. Check with your local extension office prior to planting to ensure that the plant is permitted in your area.
How to Care for a Butterfly Bush
Butterfly bush care is easy.
Water the shrub slowly and deeply during prolonged dry spells so that the soil absorbs the water deep into the root zone.
The plants don’t need fertilization unless grown in poor soil. Fertilize with a 2 inch (5 cm.) layer of compost over the root zone or scratch in some general-purpose fertilizer if you need to enrich the soil. Cover the root zone with a 2 to 4 inch (5-10 cm.) layer of mulch. This is particularly important in cold climates where the roots need winter protection.
The most labor-intensive part of caring for butterfly bushes is deadheading. In spring and summer, remove the spent flower clusters promptly. Seed pods develop when the flower clusters are left on the plant. When the pods mature and release their seeds, weedy young plants emerge. The seedlings should be removed as soon as possible.
Young shrubs that are cut off at ground level may re-emerge, so remove the roots along with the top growth. Don’t be tempted to transplant the seedlings into other parts of the garden.
Butterfly bushes are usually hybrids, and the offspring probably won’t be as attractive as the parent plant.
Problems with Butterfly Bushes
Problems with butterfly bushes include root rot and the occasional caterpillar. Planting the shrub in well-drained soil usually eliminates the chances of root rot. The symptoms are yellowing leaves, and in severe cases, twig or stem dieback.
Any time you grow a plant that attracts butterflies, you can expect caterpillars. In most cases the damage is minimal and you will have to stand close to the shrub to notice it. It’s best to leave the caterpillars alone unless their feeding activity does substantial damage to the shrub.
Japanese beetles sometimes feed on butterfly bushes. Using insecticides to control Japanese beetles is usually ineffective, and more likely to destroy the abundance of beneficial insects attracted to the shrub than the beetles. Use traps and handpick the insects, and treat the lawn for grubs, which are the larval form of Japanese beetles.
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Making a bad meadow is the best way to continue
Uncultivated grassland is very rich in species
Rough grassland is one of the most species-rich grassland species, because the lime-rich and nutrient-poor soil allows plants to thrive, which are particularly weak in terms of competition - unlike, for example, thick grassland, where only fast growing herbs and flowers stand a chance due to the high nitrogen content. As a result, poor grasslands help rare plant species escape extinction. In addition, rare butterflies serve as a food source for rare butterflies with their rich flower population.
also read
- Bees, butterflies, hedgehogs, etc. - this is how you create a colorful wild meadow.
- Create and maintain a flower meadow
- Create a magical summer meadow - beyond a colorful sea of flowers
Typical plants for rough meadows
Rough meadows usually have an almost acceptable number of flowers and herbs that cannot be listed here. Nevertheless, a few typical representatives should be mentioned:
- Trembling grass (Briza media)
Create a poor meadow
To create a skinny meadow, you first need to feather the existing soil. If you want to create a dry meadow from a lawn or greasy meadow, you must first prevent the growth of vigorous grasses, because they crowd out slow-growing flowers and grasses. Since grasses require a lot of nitrogen to grow, the first step is to stop fertilizing. Then proceed as follows:
- Cut the lawn/meadow as short as possible.
- Remove moss and dead grass with a rake.
- Choose dandelions and other resistant growths and roots.
- Decipher the area.
- Dig them out if necessary.
- Improve the soil with a thick layer of potting soil.
- Break up larger pieces of earth and smooth the surface with a rake.
- Discard your chosen Lenten Meadow Seed Mix over a large area.
- Mix seeds with sand to spread them evenly.
- Rake the seeds lightly and press them down.
- Keep the surface slightly damp, especially in the first few weeks.
Sparse grasslands must not be fertilized under any circumstances, otherwise fast growing grasses will take over and biodiversity will be reduced.
Tips and Tricks
If possible, mow the poor meadow only once a year in September, when all of them will be in late flowering plants.
Home - Kindergarten Club
Author: Pantileeva Ekaterina Valerievna, educator MBDOU No. 40 "Golden Key" (Kamchatka Territory, village Klyuchi-1)
Purpose of lesson : to develop fine motor skills of hands through finger games and artistic creativity.
Tasks:
- to teach how to work in paper-plastic technique; consolidate knowledge of yellow and green.
- develop fine and gross motor skills; develop memory, attention, thinking, speech, creativity.
- cultivate goodwill towards others; develop an interest in the environment.
Lesson progress.
- Guys, to start our lesson, let's stand in a circle and smile at each other.
Game exercise-greeting:
Let's stand side by side, in a circle,
Let's say "Hello!" each other.
We are not too lazy to say hello:
Hello everyone! and “Good afternoon!”,
If everyone smiles,
Good morning will begin.
- Good morning!
Main body.
- Oh, I hear some sound (the audio recording “Sounds of Spring” sounds). What do you think these sounds are? What are they telling us? Let's guess the riddle now:
The sun is playing like a ray,
And the snow is still melting, melting!
The birds were not up to sleep,
We came to visit .
.. (spring) - Guys, how do we know that spring is coming? What happens in spring? The sun is high, shining brighter; the day is getting longer; the sky is blue, clear; icicles; snow turns black, melts; drops ring. And also, guys, in the spring the first flowers appear on the thawed patches, which are called primroses. These are snowdrops, dandelions, mother and stepmother, mimosa. And today, in honor of the upcoming holiday called International Women's Day - the holiday of all mothers, grandmothers, sisters, we will give this tender mimosa to our mothers.
- Let's see what a mimosa looks like. Mimosa leaves are carved and beautiful. What color are the leaves? Now pay attention to the flowers. What color are they? What shape are the flowers? How many are on a branch?
- And before we start our bouquet, let's have a little rest.
Fizminutka:
One-two-three flowers grew
(squatted, get up)
Stretched high towards the sun:
(stretched on toes)
It became pleasant and warm for them!
(looking up)
The breeze flew by, the stalks shook
(they swing their arms to the left - right above the head)
Swinged to the left - bent low.
(lean to the left)
swayed to the right - crouched low.
(lean to the right)
Wind run away!
(threaten with a finger)
Don't break the flowers!
(squatting)
Let them grow, grow,
Bring joy to children!
(slowly raise their hands up, open their fingers)
- And now let's take our chairs and sit down at our workplace. Look, you have paper squares in your plates. What color are they? From these squares we will make flowers. But first, let's stretch our fingers.
Finger gymnastics:
Early in the morning it is closed, but closer to noon
(Hands are in the starting position)
Opens the petals - I see their beauty.
(The palms move away from each other, the pads of the thumbs are pressed to the ends of the index fingers, the hands resemble a half-opened bud)
In the evening the flower again
Closes the corolla.
(Fingers closed - unopened flower)
And now he will sleep
Until the morning, like a baby bird.
(Hands are placed under the cheek - imitation of sleep).
- It's time to start our work. We take one square, crush it with our fingers. And then roll the ball in a circular motion between the palms. And so each square.
- And now, whoever I call, come up to me, take our balls, dip them in glue and stick them to our branch. Look what a beautiful bouquet we get.
- Guys, what did we do today? For whom did we make a bouquet?
Today we give our mothers a tender mimosa.
In fluffy yellow balls - not prickly like roses.
These gift balloons smell like the sun and spring!
We give it with love - on the bright day of March 8!
Author: Pantileeva Ekaterina Valerievna, educator MBDOU No. 40 "Golden Key" (Kamchatka Territory, village Klyuchi-1)
Purpose classes : to develop fine motor skills of hands through finger games and artistic creativity.
Tasks:
- to teach how to work in paper-plastic technique; consolidate knowledge of yellow and green.
- develop fine and gross motor skills; develop memory, attention, thinking, speech, creativity.
- cultivate goodwill towards others; develop an interest in the environment.
Lesson progress.
- Guys, to start our lesson, let's stand in a circle and smile at each other.
Game exercise-greeting:
Let's stand side by side, in a circle,
Let's say "Hello!" each other.
We are not too lazy to say hello:
Hello everyone! and “Good afternoon!”,
If everyone smiles,
Good morning will begin.
- Good morning!
Main body.
- Oh, I hear some sound (the audio recording “Sounds of Spring” sounds). What do you think these sounds are? What are they telling us? Let's guess the riddle now:
The sun is playing like a ray,
And the snow is still melting, melting!
The birds were not up to sleep,
We came to visit ... (spring)
- Guys, how do we know that spring is coming? What happens in spring? The sun is high, shining brighter; the day is getting longer; the sky is blue, clear; icicles; snow turns black, melts; drops ring.
And also, guys, in the spring the first flowers appear on the thawed patches, which are called primroses. These are snowdrops, dandelions, mother and stepmother, mimosa. And today, in honor of the upcoming holiday called International Women's Day - the holiday of all mothers, grandmothers, sisters, we will give this tender mimosa to our mothers. - Let's see what a mimosa looks like. Mimosa leaves are carved and beautiful. What color are the leaves? Now pay attention to the flowers. What color are they? What shape are the flowers? How many are on a branch?
- And before we start our bouquet, let's have a little rest.
Fizminutka:
One-two-three flowers grew
(squatted, get up)
Stretched high towards the sun:
(stretched on toes)
It became pleasant and warm for them!
(looking up)
The breeze flew by, the stalks shook
(they swing their arms to the left - right above the head)
Swinged to the left - bent low.
(lean to the left)
swayed to the right - crouched low.
(lean to the right)
Wind run away!
(threaten with a finger)
Don't break the flowers!
(squatting)
Let them grow, grow,
Bring joy to children!
(slowly raise their hands up, open their fingers)
- And now let's take our chairs and sit down at our workplace. Look, you have paper squares in your plates. What color are they? From these squares we will make flowers. But first, let's stretch our fingers.
Finger gymnastics:
Early in the morning it is closed, but closer to noon
(Hands are in the starting position)
Opens the petals - I see their beauty.
(The palms move away from each other, the pads of the thumbs are pressed to the ends of the index fingers, the hands resemble a half-opened bud)
In the evening the flower again
Closes the corolla.
(Fingers closed - unopened flower)
And now he will sleep
Until the morning, like a baby bird.
(Hands are placed under the cheek - imitation of sleep).
- It's time to start our work. We take one square, crush it with our fingers. And then roll the ball in a circular motion between the palms. And so each square.
- And now, whoever I call, come up to me, take our balls, dip them in glue and stick them to our branch. Look what a beautiful bouquet we get.
- Guys, what did we do today? For whom did we make a bouquet?
Today we give our mothers a tender mimosa.
In fluffy yellow balls - not prickly like roses.
These gift balloons smell like the sun and spring!
We give it with love - on the bright day of March 8!
Author: Pantileeva Ekaterina Valerievna, educator MBDOU No. 40 "Golden Key" (Kamchatka Territory, village Klyuchi-1)
Purpose classes : to develop fine motor skills of hands through finger games and artistic creativity.
Tasks:
- to teach how to work in paper-plastic technique; consolidate knowledge of yellow and green.
- develop fine and gross motor skills; develop memory, attention, thinking, speech, creativity.
- cultivate goodwill towards others; develop an interest in the environment.
Lesson progress.
- Guys, to start our lesson, let's stand in a circle and smile at each other.
Game exercise-greeting:
Let's stand side by side, in a circle,
Let's say "Hello!" each other.
We are not too lazy to say hello:
Hello everyone! and “Good afternoon!”,
If everyone smiles,
Good morning will begin.
- Good morning!
Main body.
- Oh, I hear some sound (the audio recording “Sounds of Spring” sounds). What do you think these sounds are? What are they telling us? Let's guess the riddle now:
The sun is playing like a ray,
And the snow is still melting, melting!
The birds were not up to sleep,
We came to visit ... (spring)
- Guys, how do we know that spring is coming? What happens in spring? The sun is high, shining brighter; the day is getting longer; the sky is blue, clear; icicles; snow turns black, melts; drops ring.
And also, guys, in the spring the first flowers appear on the thawed patches, which are called primroses. These are snowdrops, dandelions, mother and stepmother, mimosa. And today, in honor of the upcoming holiday called International Women's Day - the holiday of all mothers, grandmothers, sisters, we will give this tender mimosa to our mothers. - Let's see what a mimosa looks like. Mimosa leaves are carved and beautiful. What color are the leaves? Now pay attention to the flowers. What color are they? What shape are the flowers? How many are on a branch?
- And before we start our bouquet, let's have a little rest.
Fizminutka:
One-two-three flowers grew
(squatted, get up)
Stretched high towards the sun:
(stretched on toes)
It became pleasant and warm for them!
(looking up)
The breeze flew by, the stalks shook
(they swing their arms to the left - right above the head)
Swinged to the left - bent low.
(lean to the left)
swayed to the right - crouched low.
(lean to the right)
Wind run away!
(threaten with a finger)
Don't break the flowers!
(squatting)
Let them grow, grow,
Bring joy to children!
(slowly raise their hands up, open their fingers)
- And now let's take our chairs and sit down at our workplace. Look, you have paper squares in your plates. What color are they? From these squares we will make flowers. But first, let's stretch our fingers.
Finger gymnastics:
Early in the morning it is closed, but closer to noon
(Hands are in the starting position)
Opens the petals - I see their beauty.
(The palms move away from each other, the pads of the thumbs are pressed to the ends of the index fingers, the hands resemble a half-opened bud)
In the evening the flower again
Closes the corolla.
(Fingers closed - unopened flower)
And now he will sleep
Until the morning, like a baby bird.
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