- Start pruning buddleja when it’s coming into growth in early spring.
- Cut through the thick woody stems, around 30cm above the ground, using a pair of loppers or a pruning saw.
- Remove any dead stubs and branches using the pruning saw or loppers.
- Aim to produce a short, strong framework of five to six main branches.
What happens if you don’t cut back a butterfly bush?
Failing to prune, especially for large butterfly bushes, can lead to plants that are too tall and have leggy growth and fewer flowers, since the plant needs energy just to feed the leaves on long stems.
How do you prune a buddleia butterfly bush?
How do you prune an overgrown butterfly bush?
When should I cut back my Buddleia? – Related Questions
Should I cut my butterfly bush back every year?
Butterfly bushes do not need to be pruned every year. In fact, you only need to prune them when they get too large for the space allotted. 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.
Can I prune butterfly bush in October?
Fall is not the time to prune butterfly bushes. Though they may be lightly trimmed in autumn to remove any flower heads (and along with them, any lurking seeds) and neaten them up a bit, spring is far preferable for pruning.
How far back can you cut a butterfly bush?
For non-dwarf butterfly bushes, cut back to 12 to 24 inches and remove any dead or broken branches. (Or cut back nearly to the ground. Butterfly bushes will still resprout and bloom!) For dwarf types such as ‘Blue Chip’ and ‘Buzz’, cut back by at least half the height in early spring.
Can you shape a butterfly bush into a tree?
Do butterfly bushes need to be cut back before winter?
Most butterfly bushes lose their leaves in late fall, and the roots remain viable underground while the plant winters over. That means in most growing zones, there is no need to prune your butterfly bush before winter. In fact, pruning too late in fall could leave it more susceptible to damage.
Do butterfly bushes grow on old or new wood?
Butterfly bushes bloom on new wood, which means they set their buds on new growth in the spring. If you prune your plant too late, you may be cutting off the future flowers! Too much water.
What is the life of a butterfly bush?
Butterfly bushes, a double-edge sword
Its popularity has real reasons: 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.
Why is my Buddleia not flowering?
If your butterfly bush is not blooming, it could be under stress because of the growing conditions, or it could be overly fertilized with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Check to make sure the soil is moist but not soggy, and check the nursery tags to make sure that it’s getting the prescribed amount of sun.
Do butterfly bushes prefer sun or shade?
Butterfly bushes, sometimes called summer lilacs, are recommended for USDA hardiness Zones 5 to 10 and need full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. Dig a hole about twice the diameter of the root ball, and set your plant in the garden no deeper than it was growing in its nursery pot.
Do hummingbirds like butterfly bushes?
As you can imagine, the butterfly bush is famous for attracting butterflies, though hummingbirds enjoy its large, fragrant flowers as well. This perennial can grow five to 12 feet tall and spread four to 15 feet.
How do I keep my butterfly bush blooming all summer?
Give your butterfly bush regular deep watering based on weather (more in peak heat or drought, for example) and prune it each spring. Assuming sun, rain, and pruning all come together, the bush should bloom fully and continuously throughout summer.
What should I plant in front of butterfly bush?
Pair butterfly bushes with Verbena bonariensis, pineapple sage, purple salvia, lantana, swamp milkweed and asters.
Should I put mulch around my butterfly bush?
Avoid mulching directly around your butterfly bush. Mulch is a great idea for other species of plants, but in clay soil, it can hold too much moisture. Go ahead and mulch your beds, but give your butterfly bush a bit of clearance, and never mulch all the way up to the main stems.
Do butterfly bushes attract mosquitoes?
The scientists chose the butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) for their experiment because it’s a very hardy plant that flowers throughout the year, and mosquitoes are attracted to it.
What grows well with Buddleja?
If you do have a butterfly bush, be sure to add native host plants such as milkweed, aster, and dill if you want the butterflies to stay. See plants that attract butterflies.
Should I deadhead Buddleja?
Grow buddleia in moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Deadhead flowers to encourage more to form and cut back hard in late spring to prevent the shrub from becoming too big.