If you are looking for a low-maintenance, attractive perennial that is popular with pollinators, growing butterfly bushes in your garden might interest you.
This in-depth post explains planting and care requirements for butterfly bushes and goes over some things you should know about them before you decide to plant them.
You can jump to any section using the advanced jump below.
Jump to:
- What Are Butterfly Bushes?
- Butterfly Bush Basics
- Where Do Butterfly Bushes Grow?
- Are Butterfly Bushes Invasive?
- Why Grow Butterfly Bushes?
- Butterfly Bush Landscaping Ideas
- Recommended Butterfly Bush Varieties
- When Do Butterfly Bushes Bloom?
- How Long Do Butterfly Bushes Bloom?
- When to Plant Butterfly Bushes
- Ideal Growing Conditions for Butterfly Bushes
- How to Plant Butterfly Bushes
- How to Care for Butterfly Bushes
- How to Divide and Transplant Butterfly Bushes
- Recommended Planting Combinations for Butterfly Bush
- Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Butterfly Bushes
- Where to Buy Butterfly Bushes
What Are Butterfly Bushes?
“Butterfly bush” is the common name for plants in the Buddleja genus, which may also be spelled Buddlea or Buddleia. There are more than 140 species in this genus. The name of the genus pays tribute to English botanist Reverend Adam Buddle.
The majority of plants in this genus are shrubs, but there are also some trees in the mix. The shrubs typically grow as high as 15 feet, but the trees may tower up to 98 feet. They can be deciduous or evergreen.
As perennials, butterfly bushes bloom year after year. They can produce flowers in many different hues.
The reason we refer to them as “butterfly bushes” is exactly what you probably guessed—butterflies really like them, as do other pollinators.
Butterfly Bush Basics
| Zones: | 5-10 |
| Blooming season: | Mid-summer to early autumn |
| Expected height: | Up to 15 feet |
| Soil: | Well-draining |
| Sun: | Full |
Where Do Butterfly Bushes Grow?
Butterfly bushes are native to South America (also extending into Central America and the southern part of the USA), and also grow in Europe and Australasia.
Are Butterfly Bushes Invasive?
The short answer to this question is, “yes, butterfly bushes are invasive.” But that does not mean that you absolutely cannot grow them in your garden.
Butterfly bushes seem to be almost ruthless survivors. University of Maryland Extension explains, “The plant grows fast, flowers very early on in its life cycle, and produces flowers throughout its life span of up to 30 years. The flowers smell good, are very showy and pretty, with large clusters that bloom for several days … The down side of the butterfly bush in our region is that they are so good that they can ‘take over’ other native plants.”
The other problem is that native plants have to compete with butterfly bushes to attract the attention of pollinators. That means that their presence can reduce the natural propagation of other plants.
For this reason, you will hear some people say that you should never plant butterfly bushes at all.
But there is some good news, which is that plant breeders have been working on producing butterfly bushes that are sterile, and therefore will not spread.
You can see some examples of these sterile cultivars in our section on recommended butterfly bush varieties.
Why Grow Butterfly Bushes?
Consider these top reasons for growing butterfly bushes:
- The most obvious reason to plant butterfly bushes is to attract pollinators to your garden. The butterflies in your area will probably flock to your garden after you plant just a few of these perennials.
- You can add summer color to your garden with butterfly bushes. The range of colors include varieties with blue flowers, white flowers, purple flowers, pink flowers and more.
- Butterfly bushes are unappetizing to deer and rabbits.
- These plants are drought-resistant and can hold up great through dry spells (especially with a little extra water).
- Whatever soil type you have, you can get butterfly bushes to grow with minimal effort.
- Pests and diseases are usually not big problems for butterfly bushes.
- Maintaining butterfly bushes is extremely easy, since these plants adapt so well.
Butterfly Bush Landscaping Ideas
Here are a few ways you can use butterfly bush to beautify your garden:
- Line a walkway. Butterfly bushes are ideal for lining pathways in your garden, sidewalks or driveways.
- Cluster them around a tree. You could also do this with a different focal point as well, like a pillar, birdhouse on a pole, etc.
- Grow them in a pollinator garden. You can mix them in with other flowering perennials that butterflies love.
- Plant them in the foreground with taller plants behind them (like hydrangeas).
- Try growing butterfly bushes in a cottage garden. With their vigorous growth and voluminous dimensions, these bushes can easily fill large spaces in your garden with colorful flowers and happy pollinators.
Recommended Butterfly Bush Varieties
Below is a list of non-invasive butterfly bush cultivars. This list comes from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, which has given them its approval:
- Buddleja'Asian Moon'
- Buddleja'Blue Chip'
- Buddleja'Blue Chip Jr.'
- Buddleja'Ice Chip' (Formerly 'White Icing')
- Buddleja 'Inspired Pink'
- Buddleja 'Pink Micro Chip'
- Buddleja'Purple Haze'
- FLUTTERBY GRANDÉ™ Blueberry Cobbler Nectar Bush
- FLUTTERBY GRANDÉ™ Peach Cobbler Nectar Bush
- FLUTTERBY GRANDÉ™ Sweet Marmalade Nectar Bush
- FLUTTERBY GRANDÉ™ Tangerine Dream Nectar Bush
- FLUTTERBY GRANDÉ™ Vanilla Nectar Bush
- FLUTTERBY PETITE™ Snow White Nectar Bush
- FLUTTERBY™ Pink Nectar Bush
If you are going to be planting butterfly bushes in your garden, you may want to check in with your own state agency to see if they can provide you with a list of cultivars that they have approved.
When Do Butterfly Bushes Bloom?
You can count on your butterfly bushes to produce beautiful blossoms starting in midsummer and continuing into the early part of fall.
How Long Do Butterfly Bushes Bloom?
Each clusters of flowers on your butterfly bush will only last for a few days. But thankfully, these plants produce new blooms continuously until their season is at an end.
When to Plant Butterfly Bushes
Just as you would with most other perennials, you should plant butterfly bushes in early spring or autumn.
Ideal Growing Conditions for Butterfly Bushes
Below are the sun, water, and soil requirements for your butterfly bushes to flourish.
How Much Sun Do Butterfly Bushes Need?
Butterfly bushes love the sun. Plant them where they can receive at least six hours of sun daily. They usually will not grow as well in partial shade, but there are exceptions in especially hot climates. As is the general rule with perennials, the best time of day for the shade is afternoon.
What Type of Soil is Right for Butterfly Bushes?
Butterfly bushes do fine in average, well-drained soil. That said, they are tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, everything from sand to clay. If you do have sandy soil, that is ideal.
We need to really emphasize the “well-draining” part, however. Whatever soil type you choose to grow butterfly bushes in, you must not let them get wet feet. Rot will set in quickly.
How Much Water Do Butterfly Bushes Need?
A regular watering schedule of an inch or so a week is good for butterfly bushes for the initial year after planting.
Once establishing is complete, your butterfly bushes should not need a lot of additional watering. You might consider occasional watering during the hottest and driest times of the year.
How to Plant Butterfly Bushes
The fastest and easiest way to grow butterfly bushes is using starter plants from the nursery. You also can grow them by seed, however. Below are instructions for both.
Container Planting
- Start by picking a type of butterfly bush that will be happy in a container, like Lo & Behold or Pugster dwarf varieties.
- Next, get a suitable container for your dwarf butterfly bush. Choosing the right size is very important for potted butterfly bushes.
Butterflybushes.com explains, “If you choose a pot that is too small, the soil will dry out quickly and the roots will become pot-bound. Pots that are too large stay wet for too long, causing root rot. We suggest planting your one quart size plant in a pot that is 8-9 inches in diameter. As the plant grows, increase the pot size by 2-4 inches. Trust us, you and the plant will be much happier increasing the pot size as it grows instead of putting it in a large pot right away!”
You should put in drainage holes if your container does not have them. Butterflybushes.com says that you should not bother with putting rocks at the bottom as it does not do anything for drainage.
- Fill your pot with potting soil and plant your butterfly bush in it. Finish filling in the soil, and water well.
- Put these sun-loving plants where they will get what they need to produce beautiful blooms and leaves.
Ground Planting
Planting butterfly bushes in your flower beds is actually ridiculously easy. There is not much you need to do in terms of prep work.
- Choose a location where your butterfly bush will get lots of sun.
- Do not do anything to prepare the soil! Butterflybushses.com says, “Do not add potting mix, compost, top soil, garden soil, etc., all of which can cause drainage issues that severely set back, possibly even kill, your plant. Simply plant directly into your natural soil.”
But what if you are trying to grow a butterfly bush in clay soil? The site offers a solution for this as well, which is to make sure that you do not fully bury the top of the rootball. You do not have to amend the soil that way, but you still get the drainage your plant needs.
- Dig holes for your butterfly bushes, plant them, and backfill the soil. Since these bushes can get to be pretty voluminous, they will need plenty of space apart for air circulation. Give them each around 5-10 feet.
- Water well, and water extra while the bushes are establishing.
Starting Butterfly Bushes from Seed
Following are the directions for growing butterfly bushes from seeds. Check the date for the last frost in spring, and then go back 8-10 weeks to get started.
- Fill containers with drainage holes with seed starting formula.
- Gently press the seeds into the formula. Make sure you do not push them deep.
- Use a spray bottle to moisten the soil. Keep in mind that with the seeds so close to the surface, dislodging them is easy, so be gentle.
- Cover the trays with plastic wrap or lids.
- Wait for the seeds to sprout, which will take about 7-21 days. During that time, keep the soil moist by gently spraying.
- Remove the plastic wrap or lid from each seed tray once the seedlings appear. Move them to a sunny location. If you do not have access to one, you can use fluorescent grow lights instead. You will need to switch them on for 16 hours daily.
Even though a sunny spot in a window offers the right amount of light for your growing seedlings, be aware that if it gets super hot, that will be bad for them. If you have that concern, the grow lights may be better.
- At around 3-4 weeks from when the seedlings first sprouted, you should apply a starter solution of fertilizer.
- As the seedlings grow, make sure you check whether they still have enough space. Sometimes it is necessary to move them to bigger containers prior to putting them outdoors.
- Harden the seedlings when you are ready to plant them outside. Then, transplant them to a suitable location in your garden.
Starting Butterfly Bushes from Cuttings
Stem cuttings are a great way to propagate butterfly bushes. Here is how to do it:
- Sanitize some garden shears and cut 4-6 inch pieces of stem late in spring or early in summer.
- Dip each stem in rooting hormone.
- Get a container and fill it with potting soil.
- Use a spray bottle to get the potting soil moist.
- Carefully push the cut ends of the stems into the potting soil. Press in the soil around them to hold them upright.
- Choose a spot for your cuttings to root where they will receive indirect light. Water them as needed. Putting a cover over them can help you lock moisture in the soil. Just make sure that you prop it up so that it is not touching the cuttings.
- When your cuttings have rooted adequately, you can transplant them to their permanent locations.
How to Care for Butterfly Bushes
How do you ensure that your butterfly bushes grow happily after you plant them? Following are recommendations for mulching, fertilizing and more.
How to Fertilize Butterfly Bushes
Butterfly bushes require around 2-3 inches of compost every year in spring. Beyond that, fertilizing them is not necessary.
How to Mulch Butterfly Bushes
To help keep weeds away and maintain moisture in the soil for your butterfly bushes, you should mulch them. Apply 2-3 inches every year in spring. Leaf mold or shredded bark work great.
Mulching is important for winter too. American Meadows says, “The biggest problem with butterfly bushes in northern areas is not surviving the winter. To protect butterfly bushes from harsh winters in the northern end of its range, add a 4- to 6-inch thick layer of bark mulch over the root system in late fall to protect the roots from winter temperatures and winds.”
How to Stake Butterfly Bushes
With sufficient sunlight, butterfly bushes generally do not need staking. But if yours are subject to some shade, you might find that they have a hard time staying upright on their own.
You can either stake each of the branches independently, or you can use a cage structure around the plant. It is best to get staking out of the way before your plants blossom.
How to Prune Butterfly Bushes
Each spring, you can prune your bushes to maintain their appearance. Some people also prune in fall, especially in warmer climate zones.
How to Deadhead Butterfly Bushes
You can deadhead your butterfly bushes throughout their flowering season. Not only will this encourage fresh blooms, but it will also help prevent the plant from going to seed (important if you do not have a sterile cultivar).
There are cultivars that bloom repeatedly even if you do not take the time to deadhead them. If they are also sterile, feel free to skip this chore!
How to Divide and Transplant Butterfly Bushes
You can divide your butterfly bushes in spring or autumn. Here are the steps:
- Begin by watering the butterfly bush you are going to dig up.
- When the soil is nice and moist, you can use a shovel to dig in a circle around the bush.
- Push underneath the bush and pry it up out of the ground.
- Carefully divide the clump. Make sure that there are some shoots attached to each section.
- Prepare some soil with compost for the newly-divided butterfly bushes.
- Plant the butterfly bushes. Backfill the soil and water well. Keep giving the divided plants extra water while they establish.
Are Butterfly Bushes Vulnerable to Diseases or Pests?
Downy mildew, root rot, and some other diseases have been known to strike butterfly bushes. You can prevent a lot of rot issues just by ensuring 1-adequate drainage, and 2-sufficient air circulation.
What about pests? Spider mites are probably the most notorious of butterfly bush pests. Watch out for them in especially hot and dry weather. Other insects that can cause problems for butterfly bushes include Japanese beetles and European earwigs.
We see no indications that butterfly bushes are slug-resistant, but we also do not see a lot of gardeners claiming that slugs and snails are all over these plants. So, they may not be a major issue.
As a bonus, butterfly bushes are deer-resistant and rabbit-resistant. So, mammalian pests should not be a concern.
Recommended Planting Combinations for Butterfly Bush
Here are a few ideas for plant pairings with butterfly bush:
- Sage: Multiple types of sage can live happily alongside butterfly bush, including pineapple sage and purple salvia.
- Swamp milkweed: If you have planted your butterfly bushes in clay soils, swamp milkweed could do well next to them.
- Hydrangea: Butterfly bush paired with hydrangea can make for a particularly showy combination.
Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Butterfly Bushes
Some insects may eat butterfly bushes, but it is unlikely that anything else is getting into them. Check our section on Pests and Diseases for more info.
Butterfly bushes are perennial plants that come back year after year.
We have found no indications of toxicity to dogs or cats. It should be fine to grow butterfly bushes in your yard. Your cats will probably love watching birds and butterflies flitting around your bushes (indeed, your cats are more likely to want to eat the visiting pollinators than the plants themselves).
Where to Buy Butterfly Bushes
If you are excited to plant these low-maintenance pollinator favorites in your garden, you should shop for butterfly bushes online. Just make sure you are getting a non-invasive plant that is suitable for your region.
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