An absolute MUST for butterfly gardens everywhere! Named after Reverend Adam Buddle who was a botanist and rector in Essex, England, Buddleias (more commonly known as Butterfly Bushes) are the fastest growing butterfly-attractors out there! And here’s a secret for you ... those sweet-smelling flowers attract hummingbirds too!
Fragrant flower spikes bloom on new growth starting in July and last until frost. As you may know, there are numerous varieties available — all of them crucial to the survival of butterflies everywhere! Just kidding ... but why not spoil our winged friends with these magnificent flowering shrubs? You can even benefit from the sweet aroma of the flowers — cut some and enjoy them indoors! Choose from every shade of purple, blue, and pink — we’ll even throw in some yellow and white varieties for some contrast:
Butterfly Bushes do best when planted in full sun and are drought tolerant once established. They tend to be more pest resistant when fertilized. Fertilize in late fall or early spring. You may cut them back to about 24” in the fall and feel free to cut them numerous times throughout the summer to maintain size and to encourage a new flush of blooms. The more you trim — the more they bloom! Butterfly Bushes are hardy to Zone 5 and look absolutely beautiful in a mixed shrub border — plant some today and watch the butterflies swarm!
Partner Plants: Ornamental Grasses, Blue Mist Spirea and any other butterfly attracting plants
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