do you trim butterfly bushes?

Answer 1

The best practice with a butterfly bush is to prune it to the ground in winter. The bush will return from its roots in the spring and butterfly bush blooms are larger on new growth. They will survive winter in some warmer climates, but at the expense of larger blooms.

Answer 2

Buddleia are one of my favourites!

B. davidii. Butterfly Bush, Summer Lilac:
After blooming, I would not cut the whole bush down to the ground, only some of the older wood down to within a few inches of the ground and tidy up the newer growth.

Note, if you have a B. alternifolia. Fountain Butterfly Bush - it blooms on the previous years growth which means you would not prune late in the year.

Answer 3

In Seattle area, Butterfly bushes(maybe not every kind) are listed as a noxious weed. They grow good because of our mild climate. I do have one because I love the sweet honey like scent. Anyway, I trim it in late fall or winter every year, and it always comes back nicely. Perhaps, if I don't trim it, it'll look out of control. I don't think you can kill it.

Answer 4

I don't know where you are. But here in Calif we trim our Butterfly bushes in winter. That's when they look sad anyway. They usually grow so much it is good to trim them back by about half. I would never trim them to the ground.

Good luck :-)

Answer 5

After they bloom, cut them back for a fuller plant next year. They will have more blooms on them, if you feed regularily with Miracle Gro 15-30-15.