This Month's How-To:
Plant Profile: Buddleia

Planning a perennial garden? Looking to attract butterflies and hummingbirds? Be sure to include a Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) in your garden plans. While technically a shrub, the Butterfly Bush is often thought of as a perennial, and should generally be treated as such. In the spring, it should be thoroughly mulched to keep down weeds and lock in soil moisture, and in the fall the plant should be cut back to promote vigorous growth in the coming year. For best results, Butterfly Bushes should be planted in a sunny spot with well drained soil.

Butterfly Bushes vary greatly in size, shape, and color depending on the variety acquired and growth conditions. Among the most popular strains are: "Black Knight" with its dense, deep purple blooms; "Peacock," a special cultivar that is only a third of the size of other varieties; and the unique "Honeycomb" variety, a hybrid Buddleia with bright yellow blooms.

When planting a Butterfly Bush, be sure to give it plenty of room to expand (unless you plant a dwarf variety) as they grow rapidly. Also, while the Butterfly Bush attracts many colorful butterflies, including the large tiger swallowtail, it also attracts bees. Depending on your perspective, this could either be a blessing or a curse. When Buddleia is planted near a vegetable garden, its guests will pollinate your veggies, ensuring a bountiful harvest. However, if you plant it in the vicinity of a patio, it can make you feel like you are sitting in the middle of an insect airstrip.

Overall, the Butterfly Bush is a beautiful plant, albeit an unruly one. With continuous blooms from June through the fall, you are sure to enjoy the variety of gorgeous garden visitors that Buddleia will attract.