Bring on the Butterflies!

In the summertime, my butterfly bush is positively covered in butterflies. Butterfly bush is one of my favorite shrubs, and I think you should grow it too. Here’s why!

male eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) on butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)

1. Butterfly bush is a great source of nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds. I love receiving winged visitors to my garden all summer long! However, because butterfly bush does not provide food for most caterpillars, be sure sure to plant other natives such as orange butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa) in your garden.

monarch caterpillar (Danus plexippus) on orange butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

2. Butterfly bush is easy to grow. Hardy in zones 5-9, butterfly bush is one of the easiest shrubs to care for. All you have to do is prune it in early spring when the new growth begins to appear. Deadheading is not necessary, but I like to remove the spent blooms for a cleaner photography background. Butterfly bush is also drought and deer tolerant!

3. Butterfly bush comes in many varieties. I grow the classic Buddleja davidii, but there are so many varieties to choose from! According to Dennis Carey and Tony Avent from Plant Delights Nursery,

The genus Buddleia has over 100 species in it, but only a handful are used in ornamental gardens. These include Buddleia alternifolia , Buddleia asiatica, Buddleia colvilei, Buddleia crispa, Buddleia fallowiana, Buddleia globosa, Buddleia lindleyana, Buddleia marrubifolia, Buddleia officinalis, Buddleia paniculata, Buddleia saligna, Buddleia salviifolia, and the ubiquitous Buddleia davidii from which most of the common garden cultivars arise.

Dwarf varieties behave well in containers and make a great addition to a porch or patio. For a more in-depth article about all things butterfly bush, check out Buddleia davidii: The Butterfly Bush from Plant Delights Nursery.

female eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) on butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)

Planting a butterfly bush? Here are some helpful tips!

plant your butterfly bush in a sunny, well-drained location.
prune your butterfly bush in early spring when the new growth begins to leaf out. If left unpruned, butterfly bush can grow to monstrous sizes (5-8 feet) and will only flower in the top “story” of the shrub.
avoid wet soil and overwatering.
plant your butterfly bush in spring (or mid-summer in zones 5-6).

For more tips on growing butterfly bush, check out The Ultimate Butterfly Bush Care Guide from Proven Winners.

Got any butterfly bush tips? Please share in the comments below!