If you want to add a lively buzz to your garden, look no further than the Butterfly Bush, also known as Buddleia. This stunning summer and fall flowering shrub is a magnet for butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees, making it a fantastic addition to any garden aiming to support local wildlife. The vibrant, fragrant, nectar-rich blooms can become highly sought after among pollinators.
Why Choose Buddleia?
Attracts Pollinators: One of the most delightful features of the Butterfly Bush is its ability to attract a variety of pollinators. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll see hummingbirds and bees flocking to the vibrant, fragrant blooms.
Fragrant Blooms: Buddleia isn’t just a feast for the eyes; it also smells fantastic. Its sweet fragrance wafts through the air, making it perfect for planting near a porch or patio where you can sit back and enjoy the show.
Long Blooming Period: This hardy shrub blooms from summer through fall, providing continuous color and activity in your garden for months.
Growing Tips for Butterfly Bush
Sun and Soil: Buddleia thrives in full sun and well-draining soil. Planting it in a sunny spot ensures the best growth and abundant blooms.
Pruning: To keep your Butterfly Bush healthy and vigorous, it’s essential to gently prune smaller varieties during the winter. Large plants should be pruned more aggressively. This might seem drastic, but Buddleia responds well to hard pruning, which promotes new growth and more prolific blooming in the next season.
Placement: Consider planting Buddleia in front of your porch or along garden paths. You can easily admire the colorful butterflies as they flutter from flower to flower, creating a lively garden scene, especially with the companion plants.
Companion Plants:
Dill (Fernleaf) is an excellent companion to Buddleia. From our experience, the caterpillar or larva stage of the eastern swallowtail will often make a home here, camouflaging and growing many times its size, before transforming into a butterfly.
Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum) is a great companion to Buddleia. It’s not the showiest plant, but pollinators love it.
Milkweed (Asclepias) is a native perennial and the sole host plant for the monarch butterfly.
Hibiscus (Hibiscus) creates long-blooming, vibrant blooms you can’t keep your eyes off. Blooms nearly the same time as Buddleia, so you can enjoy a flower display from summer to fall.
Coneflower (Echinacea) is a native perennial that pairs beautifully with various other perennials and shrubs due to its low-maintenance needs.
Bee Balm (Monarda) features an abundance of nectar and pollen that attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. After flowers fade, the exposed seed heads become a buffet for birds late in the season.
Enjoy the Show
Adding a Butterfly Bush and companions to your garden is more than just planting shrubs and flowers; it’s about creating a synergizing ecosystem of vitality. The pollinators it attracts play a crucial role in the health of your garden, helping to pollinate other plants and increase biodiversity. Plus, the visuals and fragrance can significantly enhance your outdoor living experience. Proven Winners supply the Butterfly Bush variety we sell at Mitchell’s Nursery, which is non-invasive compared to other Buddleia plants.
So, if you want to boost your garden’s appeal and contribute to the local ecosystem, the Butterfly Bush is an excellent choice. Happy gardening!