When to Trim Butterfly Bushes

Butterfly bush belongs to the genus Buddleia and family Scrophulariaceae. Butterfly bush is native to southern United States and Asia. This flowering plant produces amazing blossoms. Depending on the variety, you can find white, blue, yellow, maroon, pink and red blossoms. The variety which produces red blossoms has the ability to attract the hummingbirds. The flowers are closely bunched together. These can be used to beautify your patio or cover fences. These can be used as cut flowers and will certainly beautify any corner of your home.

If you are planning to grow butterfly bush, you need to be aware about the conditions needed for proper growth of this plant. Pruning is one of the most important aspect of butterfly bush maintenance. Let's understand more about growing and pruning a butterfly bush.

Growing a Butterfly Bush

Butterfly bushes grow best in fertile and well drained soil. These will grow even better if they get ample sunshine, but being a tough plant, they will survive even in light shade. Growing a butterfly bush from seeds could be a little difficult, but if you have already purchased the seeds, you must pre-chill them for 4 weeks before sowing. They will take about 3 months to germinate. If you don't have that kind of patience, you have the option of purchasing the plant. Since these bushes will grow better in fertile soil, you should till the soil and add compost to it. While planting the butterfly bush, make sure that you dig a hole which is double the size of the root ball. Place the shrub and press the soil down while covering the hole. You should be careful about watering. Though the soil should be well drained, going on a watering spree can lead to root rot.

When Should the Butterfly Bush be Trimmed

When should one trim the butterfly bushes? What is the butterfly bush pruning time? Though you could prune or trim butterfly bushes at any time of the year, trimming them during the cold climate would be a better idea. You should trim the butterfly bush when it is dormant. Trimming during the growing season has a drawback. You might end up cutting off the beautiful blossoms.

You could also prune the butterfly bush early in the spring. If you are planning to trim or prune butterfly bushes during the spring, you must make sure that a height of 3 feet is maintained. You should remove the spent flowers and dead branches. Pruning promotes the growth of new blossoms. You might see new growth within weeks of pruning. In case, it is snowing, you should cut back the butterfly bushes and add a layer of mulch.

During the dormant season, you could prune the butterfly bush almost to the ground level or up to a feet above the ground. Even if you have pruned them very close to the ground, you don't need to worry. Butterfly bushes grow very quickly and you will see new growth and prolific flowering very soon. Due to their quick growth, pruning becomes even more essential. In case they are allowed to grow, these might spread and kill the other plants growing in the vicinity. Pruning the butterfly bushes would make them more presentable and you can trim it and give it a desirable shape.

Do follow the aforementioned tips on when to trim butterfly bushes along with the other instructions to promote proper growth of your butterfly bush. If you provide this plant with the ideal growing conditions, you will soon spot beautiful butterflies hovering around the butterfly bush.