Asked by: Ornela Diaz Pinto
home and garden landscaping

How big do miniature butterfly bushes get?

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Most shrubs in the genus Buddleia grow to around 6 feet tall, although some will grow a few feet taller given the right circumstances. Dwarf versions are typically 2- to 3-feet tall and wide, such as the Lo & Behold line.


Simply so, how big do butterfly bushes get?

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 tall with a spread of 4 to 15 feet.

Likewise, how fast do butterfly bushes grow? The fast-growing butterfly bush reaches a mature height of 6 to 10 feet tall in one or two growing seasons. The cone or wand-shaped flower heads grow 5 to 12 inches long and bloom from summer through fall.

Correspondingly, are dwarf butterfly bushes invasive?

While the plant is enjoyed by many, butterfly bush does have detractors. In many areas of the United States, it's actually considered an invasive plant—one that does not naturally grow in a particular region but which is pervasive enough to push out native plants.

Should butterfly bush be deadheaded?

Caring for Butterfly Bushes Remove spent flower spikes to encourage new shoots and flower buds. In addition, it is important to deadhead the flowers just as they start to wither so that this invasive plant doesn't spread volunteer seeds. Deadheading of this invasive is now required in many states.

Related Question Answers

Naaima Schifflechner

Professional

Are butterfly bushes poisonous to dogs?

The butterfly bush, or buddleja, is a beautiful flowering plant that features blooms in a variety of colors. It's a popular garden shrub that attracts butterflies and bees and is not poisonous to pets.

Micheal Alfano

Professional

Does butterfly bush need full sun?

Like many perennials, butterfly bushes are versatile when it comes to sun preference and can grow in partial shade to full sun. But the more shade the plant receives, the fewer of its trademark flowers it produces. For best flower production, the planting site for your butterfly bush should receive full sun.

Dayanara Heselhaus

Explainer

Do butterfly bushes need to be cut back?

Butterfly bushes do not need to be pruned every year. But since butterfly bushes only bloom on new growth many gardeners prune them severely each spring to encourage lots of new growth and lots of flowers. You can prune this shrub back to twelve or twenty-four inches high. For most plants, that's a drastic reduction.

Marcelina Uffenwassser

Explainer

Do butterfly bushes attract bees?

Butterfly bushes most likely to attract bees have purple, violet or blue flowers, followed by yellow or orange-blooming ones.

Jeferson Ferre

Explainer

How deep are butterfly bush roots?

They are supposed to be six feet deep. Therefore, I can't plant anything there unless #1 I don't care if it gets dug up/can be easily transplanted (in the event the pipes have problems and they have to dig up to get to the pipes; not a likely event) and #2 won't root deep enough to interfere with the pipes.

Shayne Vidarte

Pundit

What can I plant instead of a butterfly bush?

Here are 3 of our favorite native plant replacements for butterfly bush.
  1. Clethra alnifolia Sweet Pepperbush.
  2. Cephalanthus occidentalis Buttonbush.
  3. Ceanothus americanus New Jersey tea.

Zhenya Abronheiro

Pundit

Is butterfly bush a perennial?

The showy, cone-shaped flowers bloom on new wood each year. In warmer climates, grow butterfly bush as a shrub. Grow butterfly bushes as an herbaceous perennial. Even if the plant dies back to the ground in winter, the new growth that emerges from the roots in spring will eventually flower.

Garoe Bauch

Pundit

How do you take care of a dwarf butterfly bush?

Regular pruning not only improves its appearance, but also keeps its aggressive tendencies in check.
  1. Cut dwarf butterfly bush back to the ground in late winter.
  2. Remove spent flowers in the summer to encourage more blooms.
  3. Cut off any seed heads that develop at the end of the growing season.
  4. Things You Will Need.
  5. Tip.

Lealdina Koneru

Pundit

Why is my butterfly bush dying?

If the wilting leaves are shriveled and brown, the butterfly bush is suffering from lack of water. The butterfly bush needs water during its growth season in early spring and during dry spells throughout the season. If the wilting leaves are shriveled and green, the shrub suffers from herbicide toxicity.

Cora Felguera

Pundit

How do you prepare a butterfly bush for winter?

  1. Use clean hand pruners to clip flower panicles off just above the next leaf as they fade throughout the summer and into the fall.
  2. Apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch around the base of the plant in the fall over the root zone, but not touching the stem to avoid rot.

Eneriz Gerde

Teacher

Can buddleia be grown in pots?

The answer is yes, you can – with caveats. Growing a butterfly bush in a pot is very possible if you can provide this vigorous shrub with a very large pot. Keep in mind that butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) grows to heights of 4 to 10 feet (1 to 2.5 m.), with a width of around 5 feet.

Merche Gerdener

Teacher

What plants are good for a butterfly garden?

Butterfly Garden Flowers
  • Phlox. Phlox is a low-growing, spreading plant that forms a blanket of blooms all summer.
  • Coneflower (Echinacea) Coneflower is one of the best flowers for attracting butterflies.
  • Lantana.
  • Bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii)
  • Pot Marigolds.
  • Black-Eyed Susan.
  • Blazing Star Flowers (Liatris spicata)
  • Heliotrope.

Yapci Tsvilgnev

Teacher

Why is my butterfly bush not blooming?

There are a few reasons a butterfly bush will not bloom, most of them related to stress. One of the most common is improper watering. Butterfly bushes require plenty of water, particularly in the spring during their main period of growth. In the summer, they need steady watering during periods of drought.

Izza Frau

Teacher

Which Buddleia is best for butterflies?

Planting Buddleia: Best Butterfly Bush Varieties to Grow in the UK
  • Buddleia variety Nanho Blue, also known as Petite Indigo, is attractive to pollinators.
  • Buddleja Blue Chip, the low-growing variety from the Lo and Behold collection, can be grown in containers: ideal if you want to attract butterflies to your balcony!

Jaimina Manneh

Reviewer

Are buddleia roots invasive?

Buddleja can be invasive, but generally isn't when its in a garden that gets looked after routinely. It doesn't really spread by its roots.

Justina Hartmanns

Reviewer

How much sun does a butterfly bush need?

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.

Douaa Beck

Reviewer

Can I prune Buddleia in autumn?

Ideally, do so in the early spring (after the last frost). This is best time to prune your buddleia but I experimented last autumn and cut ours down to 2.5 ft and it came back lovely and healthy this year! However it may not be advisable to prune after September in your area, so take care.

Vandana Jamet

Supporter

Do butterfly bushes multiply?

Do butterfly bushes spread? Yes, they do. The wild species Buddleia davidii spreads rapidly, invading riverbanks, reforested areas and open fields. Butterfly bush is considered invasive in many states, as well as England and New Zealand.

Shamir Krauthause

Supporter

Can you keep buddleia small?

When it comes to growing buddleias (or buddlejas) there's a wide range on offer and they vary in habit and quality. It's better to opt for compact varieties rather than the tall rangy ones. However, larger varieties of buddleias can be kept compact with hard pruning in March.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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22nd February, 2020

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