when does a butterfly bush bloom and do I have to do anything to it?

Answer 1

There are 100 different Buddleia varieties (Butterfly Bush). Some are late-spring bloomers, some come on in mid-summer, and others late-summer. The following website has a list of many varieties, their characteristics, and when they bloom. They are pretty low maintenance for the most part. They can take on a bit of a wild appearance if left alone, but do fine with heavy pruning.
http://butterflygardeners.com/buddleia.htm

Answer 2

Flowers mid to late summer. Prune back hard once all frosts are past to ensure healthy growth from base, which in turn helps to avoid any wind damage. This is a very quick growing bush and can be taken down to a couple of feet from the ground if required.

Answer 3

Blooms in late-summer (in the northeast USA) in August/September. You don't have to do a thing - once they're planted they require no maintenance or watering (and grow easily).. and attact great, migrating monarch butterflies & more. As with most plants that you want to keep pretty from now, you might want to snip-back the withered portions of last year's flowering for your own aesthetics (if in front of your house). New shoots will grow around it, on its own of course, even if you didn't.

Answer 4

Keep it out of the wind. I planed mine in a spot that gets wind during the winter, and it didn't come back. :(