The “beddle” butterfly bush is a common misspelling of Buddleja davidii, a popular garden shrub. Known for its prolific blooms and ability to attract pollinators, the butterfly bush is a favorite among gardeners. Its ease of care and vibrant floral displays enhance many garden settings.
Understanding Butterfly Bush
The butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) is a deciduous shrub with an arching habit, reaching heights of 6 to 15 feet. Its elongated, lance-shaped leaves measure 6 to 10 inches long, green on the upper surface with a soft, whitish underside. The plant produces abundant, elongated flower clusters, known as panicles, which are 5 to 12 inches in length. These fragrant flowers come in various shades, including lilac, purple, pink, white, yellow, or red, often featuring an orange eye at their center.
Planting Your Butterfly Bush
Selecting the proper site is key for a healthy butterfly bush. This plant thrives in full sun, requiring at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. Well-draining soil is important, as roots are susceptible to rot in wet conditions. While adaptable to various soil types, including clay, good drainage is necessary.
The best times for planting butterfly bushes are in spring or fall. If planting in fall, allow time for the plant to establish roots before cold weather.
Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball, ensuring the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. After placing the plant, backfill the hole, firming the soil around the roots, and water thoroughly. Proper spacing, 5 to 10 feet apart depending on the variety, allows for adequate air circulation and growth.
Ongoing Care for Thriving Growth
After planting, routine care ensures the continued health of your butterfly bush. During its first growing season, consistent watering helps the plant establish a strong root system. Once established, butterfly bushes are drought-tolerant, but benefit from deep watering during prolonged dry periods, about one inch of water per week if rainfall is insufficient. Yellowing leaves indicate either too much or too little water, so check soil moisture.
Fertilization is not a frequent requirement for butterfly bushes; excessive nutrients encourage leafy growth at the expense of flower production. If soil is poor, a light application of compost in spring or a balanced granular fertilizer is beneficial. Butterfly bushes are resistant to most pests and diseases. However, spider mites appear during hot, dry spells, and root rot occurs in poorly drained soils. Good air circulation and appropriate watering practices prevent these issues.
Pruning for Health and Bloom
Pruning maintains the health, shape, and abundant flowering of butterfly bushes. It promotes new growth, where the plant produces its flowers, and prevents the shrub from becoming leggy or overgrown. The best time for major pruning is late winter or early spring, after the last hard frost but before significant new growth emerges. Pruning too early in winter, especially in colder climates, makes the plant more susceptible to winter damage.
For most varieties, a hard prune, cutting the plant back to one to two feet from the ground, encourages vigorous new shoots and prolific blooming. This maintains a manageable size and prevents flowers from forming too high on the plant. When making cuts, aim for a 45-degree angle just above a healthy leaf bud. Deadheading, the removal of spent flower clusters throughout the blooming season, encourages the plant to produce more flowers rather than setting seeds, extending the display of blooms.
Ecological Role and Responsible Gardening
The butterfly bush attracts a variety of pollinators, including butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, with its nectar-rich flowers. Its fragrant blooms serve as a food source for adult butterflies. However, while it provides nectar, the butterfly bush does not serve as a host plant for the larvae of most native butterflies, meaning caterpillars cannot feed on its leaves.
A concern with Buddleja davidii is its potential to become invasive in certain regions. The plant produces a large number of lightweight, easily dispersed seeds—up to 40,000 per flower spike, and millions per plant. These seeds spread rapidly to disturbed areas, roadsides, and natural habitats, where they outcompete native plant species. To garden responsibly, especially where invasiveness is a concern, consider choosing sterile or low-fertility cultivars that produce fewer viable seeds. Additionally, diligently deadheading spent blooms throughout the season prevents seed dispersal, minimizing the plant’s spread.