The Beautiful Butterfly Bush
July 10, 2009 by Karen Weideman
Filed under Gardening
Last summer we did a lot of landscaping to our yard. During the lawn improvement project, we tore out an old gas lamp which left a bare spot. Something really needed to go in that area. My husband went to our local home improvement store and came home with a butterfly bush. It was inexpensive and according to the picture, would product pretty purple blooms and would attract butterflies. What we didn’t anticipate was how huge this bush would get.
By the end of summer last year, the bush was already a pretty good size. It was constantly being visited by butterflies and bees. We really enjoyed the colorful flowers and butterflies it brought into our yard.
Our house was on the market this spring and we went back a few weeks ago to close on the house. I was absolutely appalled at what a monster this bush was. It was taller than me! Out of curiosity, I looked online to see how big these bushes normally get. Depending on the variety that you have, these plants can grow 3-12 feet high. Wow!
If you’re a gardener or even if you just love butterflies, a butterfly bush can make a great addition to your garden. Just be aware of how large they can grow and choose a proper location (unlike us!).
If you have a butterfly bush or are thinking of getting one, here is some helpful information from ButterflyBushes.com. The butterfly bush:
- is drought tolerant
- is deer resistant
- grows quickly
- is inexpensive
- comes in a variety of species
- prefers full sun
- can be planted together to product a multi-color appearance
- should be cut back to about 4 feet high for the winter
I hope this information is helpful to you.
Do you have a butterfly bush?
images (c) Karen Weideman
I have a butterfly bush, but it doesn’t look as good as yours. The lady at my local garden center said it’s because I didn’t cut it back over the winter, but it will come back to it’s fullness next year.
Cara: I haven’t cut back my bush. We haven’t lived in that home in about 9 months. We moved out of the area and the house has been on the market. Since we hadn’t done clipping or maintenance to the bush, it was such a surprise that it was doing so well. It actually looked a bit wild and unkept. I read that these bushes are hardy in certain zones. I live in North Carolina so it could be that the bush does better here. Not sure. Oh course, it could be the soil. I’ve had better luck with some plants in different areas of NC due to the soil.
Good luck with your gardening and thanks for dropping by.