Butterfly Bushes and Pruning - Butterfly Bush

Butterfly Bushes and Pruning

Butterfly Bushes and Pruning
Mountain Valley Growers, Inc.

Surely one of the top ten reasons people garden must be to fill an otherwise ho hum space with life. The color bursts of flowers; the exotic fragrances of leaves; the hypnotic effect of arching stems swaying in the wind; the singing of the trees as gentle breezes rattle their leaves; and the intriguing housing complexes, subways, and airports of the thousands of species of miniature life that accompany gardening surely contribute to make it the number one hobby in America.

One of the greatest treasures for providing life in the garden is the Butterfly Bush. Hummingbirds and beneficial insects, as well as butterflies, are seduced by the nectar rich flowers of these bushes. Stunning colors paint lengthy bottle brush like flowers in dazzling hues that complement most every garden color theme.

Many of the Butterfly Bushes at the nursery are planted in naturalized settings. These are allowed to grow in their normal rampant manner. While Butterfly Bushes have many virtues, their one main flaw is that the dead flowers are never dropped. Underline NEVER. From a distance, this is not so noticeable. In colder climates, the bush takes care of this by dying back to the ground, but in the warm, 20 degree winters here the plants remain evergreen and ever holding these spent blooms.

Several Butterfly Bushes have been planted in more formal areas where more effort is made to tidy them up. Early spring is when these bushes that adorn our patios and near gardens are sculpted. With loppers the weeping side branches are chopped back to a cluster of main stems in the center of the bush. The center stem are left as tall as possible without having the tops droop down. Usually this means some of the top growth is cut back a bit also. Even beefy side stems are removed if they are arching away from the main cluster of center stems. The result is a columnar plant that looks like a plucked chicken, but within a few weeks the bush is covered with fresh new growth. And, shortly after, it will be covered with fresh as a daisy blue or gold or pink or dark purple or light purple or white or reddish purple or bluish purple flowers that will stun and please--not only the life in flight, but you, too.

Most plants offered in this Genus are of the species (Buddleia davidii). These large (even the dwarf shrubs reach 8-15 feet) hardy shrubs are highly ornamental and extremely carefree. No landscape should be without at least one.

Buddleias are vigorous growers that remain evergreen in winters with minimum temperatures of 20 degrees. Where winters are more severe they can be deciduous, merely dropping leaves, or herbaceous, freezing completely back to the ground. Phenomenal growth is achieved in one season even if they do freeze all the way to the ground.

While the leaves do remain intact during our zone 8 winters, they are not as green and lush as they are during the growing season or in milder winter climates. This is an indication that our winter temperature is borderline between evergreen and deciduous.

The Golden Butterfly Bush is perhaps the best choice for those with marginal evergreen winters. It's leaves remain green and full when other B.davidiis show signs of stress. Interestingly, it also puts out very early flowers, forming buds in January.

As with most plants we grow, good drainage is important for Butterfly Bushes but rich soil is not necessary. A 2 3/4 inch pot placed in the ground in early spring will grow to 3 or 4 feet in one year, and as much as 8-10 feet the following year. This fast growth makes these shrubs perfect for naturalizing vast areas or covering hillsides. They also make quick beautiful covers for fences or buildings, providing quick shade for hot summer spots in the landscape. They can be grown in large half whisky barrel size pots and trained into long blooming standards or small patio shrubs. In fact, their fast growth makes them a perfect choice for spring potting. Using a 5 gallon pot should be adequate for a season of enjoyment. With fertilization and pruning, they continue to bloom in the pot throughout the summer. By the next spring, they will need to be repotted or planted in the ground.

While Buddleias do require some summer watering, it is not an excessive amount. Once established, as infrequently as once a month can be sufficient. A great advantage for the valleys of California is that the scorching sun does not adversely affect their growth nor does it burn their leaves. Even more importantly, the broiling sun does not fade the colors of the flowers. And, after all, the flowers are the main attraction. Millions of tiny flowers are formed along a bottle brush like spike.

The length of the spike varies with the variety. The flowers of the Golden, and Dwarf Blue are in the 3-5 inch range. The Royal Red, Royal Blue, Twilight, White Profusion, Black Knight and Pink Delight are in the 8-10 inch range and are often 3 inches in diameter. Blooms are strong solid colors that first appear in late spring and continue until frost. When temperatures rise above 90 degrees, the open flowers remain on the plant but new flowers buds are put on hold. This makes Spring and Fall in very warm areas better for viewing blooms.

The species Buddleia crispa holds its flowers here throughout most winters, but if the temperature plunges, the bush becomes a mushy mass that is better pruned back to the ground. Unlike the Buddleia davidiis which usually have dark green leaves with varying degrees of felt underneath, this plant is all felt. It's soft silver gray leaves are inviting to the touch in much the same way Lambs Ears (Stachys lantana) are. This is a smaller plant than the davidiis, which may make it more adaptable to a small city lot. There is no lack of show though. Besides it's highly ornamental foliage there are also many small flower spikes composed of tiny lilac flowers with orange eyes.

How about a small Weeping Willow? If you're laughing because you know how huge and rampant willows are, then consider Buddleia alternifolia. Called Fountain Bush because its branches droop gracefully toward the ground resembling the sprays of water in a fountain, it makes a remarkable weeping 'tree'. Besides being manageable, the advantage this 'tree' has are its long lilac flower spikes. It is truly a remarkable specimen. It can be trained into a formal 'tree' that will reach about 8 feet or it can be grown up against another tall butterfly bush for support and for a more natural look. This is an attractive solution and a good choice for attracting butterflies. B. alternifolia blooms only in spring and the B.davidiis bloom for months. By combining the two, flowers are assured for a long time.

WHAT ABOUT PRUNING?

These large shrubs often give gardeners fits about pruning. The important thing to remember is that these are tough plants. There is almost nothing wrong you can do. You can prune anytime. If you prune hard during the growing season the worst that can happen is you will cut off your flowers for a while. But, they grow fast and you have them again soon. The normal life cycle of this bush is to go dormant in zones 5 and 6. At this point the canes above ground are dead. They can then be pruned to the ground. This is usually sometime after frost. If you are in a marginal zone 5 area, it is a good idea to apply a three to six inch layer of mulch covering the crown. In zones 8 and up, the bush will remain evergreen and can be pruned to the ground or in any configuration that suits your garden.

It is not only the vast amount of color Butterfly Bushes produce that butterflies and humans enjoy but also the heady honey-like aroma. Each tiny flower has a nectar filled tube which is just right for butterflies and hummingbirds, and ultimately, us.

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