Butterfly Bush

August 27th, 2007

Monarch Butterflies on a BushI’ve blogged about butterfly bushes, or Buddleia, before, but I felt the need to do so again today.

You see, I went outside and noticed no less than 10 large monarch butterflies on one of my bushes. I tried my best to get a picture of them all but it wasn’t working well, the best one I got in the one here with the post. When I got close and the butterflies got spooked and took off I felt like I was in a butterfly sanctuary they were all over.

Butterfly bushes are apparently sometimes invasive in warming climates, but in cooler areas they do not take over like that. So what you have is a decent looking large bush that grows quickly to 7 feet or more (though it will die back to the ground each year in zone 5 where I live), that attracts butterflies like moths to a flame.

They’re also pretty cheap, usually for less than $10 at a garden center and you can buy them during the fall clearance sometimes for even less. The one pictured I paid $2.50 for.

If you want to attract butterflies to your garden I know of no other plant that works so well, give it a try. There is also a new dwarf variety that you can find at places like Wayside if you don’t have room for the big ones. Finally I’ve also seen a silver leafed variety that gives some foliage interested as well as the flowers and butterflies.

4 Responses to “Butterfly Bush”

  1. kim taylor  Says:

    I also have butterfly bushes. Mine were planted this past spring. The amount of visiting butterflies is so amazing. I wouldn’t say their an ugly bush. It’s all in the way that you look at it. I have the light purple.

  2. Susan Tychinski  Says:

    I LOVE my butterfly bushes. I have 2 purple and pink. This past summer there were so many different varities of butterflies that came to visit. We also planted a warming area with some sand and rock for the butterflies to go to for warmth. It is so relaxing to watch them on a summer afternoon.

  3. Kristal L. Rosebrook  Says:

    The butterfly bush grows great where I live. It flowers only for a short time though. Beautiful though.

    Kristal Rosebrook

  4. Jay  Says:

    Kristal, If you cut off/deadhead flowers on your bush, it will stop making seeds on spent flowers and will continue blooming.

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