I looked at my calendar the other day and noted that it was time to start "deadheading" my butterfly bushes. As you probably know, deadheading simply means cutting off the spent blooms, and mid-July to September is the time to deadhead butterfly bushes.
Butterfly bushes are fascinating plants, and as the name implies, they can attract many varieties of beautiful butterflies to your garden. These bushes have a magnetic appeal for butterflies who are attracted by the fragrant nectar, which is particularly aromatic and delicious (if you happen to be a butterfly) under the midday sun.
Of course there are many plants that attract butterflies, but when most people think of butterfly bushes, they're referring to the plant known as Buddleia (pronounced BUD-lee-ah). There are more than one hundred species and cultivars in the Buddleia genus, which is sometimes called Summer Lilac.
Buddleia plants were named in honor of the 17th century botanist Adam Buddle when the first butterfly bushes were brought to England from Chile in 1774. However, most of bushes that we are familiar with today, including the popular and hardy Buddleia davidii, originated in China.
Buddleia plants are hardy in zones 5 to 9. In colder climates they are liable to die back during the winter, but they're still well worth planting; just treat them as an annual.. If you're not sure which zone you're in, send me an e-mail with your location and I'll let you know.
Planting and caring for Buddleia is not particularly challenging. In fact, "a reason for Buddleia's popularity is that it's easy to grow, even hard to kill," according to an article by Claire Hagen Dole in Butterfly Gardeners' Quarterly. You can find that and several other interesting articles at http://www.butterflywebsite.com and you can link directly to it by going to my website and finding this column under "The Plant Man" heading.
Buddleia tend to spread out quite a bit, and when weighed down by water after a rainfall, can droop and flatten out over the rest of your flower bed. Try planting them about four to six feet apart, or somewhat closer if you want to form a hedge. I've seen different varieties planted very close together so that the different colored blooms give the impression of growing from a single plant.
Buddleia are shipped from nurseries in Fall or early Spring, and mature Buddleia plants reach heights of three to five feet by July or August. You can then cut the bushes back after blooming and enjoy a second blooming in the Fall. Don't prune them too early (I wait until November) and cut them back to no more than four feet in height, so that snow and rain storms won't damage the plant to seriously. In May or early June you can give your Buddleia a little trim to get rid of the woody stalks and shape them up nicely.
As an added bonus, butterfly bushes often attract hummingbirds who also enjoy that tasty nectar. It might be less of a bonus, depending on your point of view, that Buddleia are also very good at attracting bees.
There are several other plants that butterflies find attractive, and you wish to fill in around your Buddleia with some of them. You can find a fairly comprehensive list at http://www.greenwoodnursery.com/page.cfm/63 and again you can link directly from this column on my website. Another nice addition might be one or two butterfly houses to give your colorful visitors some lodging close to their nectar-laden plants.
So give some thought now to next year's garden and think about adding some Buddleia to attract those beautiful butterflies.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org or mail to: Steve Jones, "The Plant Man", P.O. Box 686, McMinnville, TN 37111. For resources and additional information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org often.
QUESTION: "Thanks for being there. I never in my life have ever planted anything. I live in Las Cruces, NM. I would like to plant some low bushes and some flowers in a shady area that has never been planted before. I need some help to know what to plant in a shady area, low edges and some flowering bushes full sun. I am a cancer patient and need something nice in my life so I will try to plant something on my own without any one telling me I can't. Thanks for your help." - Marge
ANSWER: Shaded areas require shade loving plants. Seems obvious, but a lot of folks believe they can plant something anywhere just because they like the color, the plant, etc. Plants that thrive in shade and damp conditions are plants like ferns and hostas that give texture to the garden. Groundcovers like ajuga, and vinca will give color for a large part of spring and summer. Full sun shrubs that give color include lilac, red bush honeysuckle and some viburnums. Gardening is simple using texture, size and color. Always place or use plants by determining what their size will become over the years. Fewer plants are better than to crowd an area. Smaller plants and flowers can always be added as you go along. Good luck with all.
