Common Name: Butterfly Bush
Scientific Name: Buddleia davidii
Type of Plant: Shrub
Description: The butterfly bush is a beautiful, fast-growing shrub with masses of blossoms—long, spiked trusses—that bloom from summer to autumn. Its flowers come in many colors, though butterflies seem to prefer the lavender-pink (mauve) of the species to the white and dark purple cultivars.
Mature Size: 6-12′ tall x 6-12′ wide.
Blooms: Summer-Fall
Fruit: No
Climate Requirements: Butterfly Bush prefers full sun or light shade. Alkaline soil appears to support adequate growth in many instances.
Care Requirements: Many cultivars are highly prone to rust and mites. It’s also highly susceptible to nematodes.
Spacing: Space plants 24-48″ apart
Water Needs: Average
Maintenance: 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. Since they bloom on new wood, even if there is no die-back, cut them back to the ground every spring. Yes, hack to the ground!
Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Special Uses/Attributes: Despite the “butterfly” name, keep in mind that this shrub is not a “host plant” for butterflies in that it does not support butterfly reproduction and lifecycle. Caterpillars do not feed on butterfly bushes; rather, it only provides nectar to adult butterflies. If you do have a butterfly bush, be sure to add native host plants such as milkweed and dill if you want the butterflies to stay. Butterfly bushes are generally considered deer-resistant.
Florida Native: No