Hi All - I asked this question on perennials board but thought that maybe some of you great folks here would know something about it too. This is my second year growing a butterfly bush. This year it almost seems to be more dead bloom remains on the bush versus live blooms. Am I supposed to be "deadheading" or doing something to help the looks of the bush?
Thank you in advance for any advice.
Ruby
butterfly bush question
I learned this only recently, and it's working great! Yes, cut the flowers off back to where there's two side branches, which probably already have buds on them. It makes a big difference. I read somewhere on DG that if you keep doing this, it will bloom up until last frost. We'll see...
My butterfly bush is 30 years old, I don't know how far back you should go with a young one, it's probably OK
Yes, deadhead for repeated bloom. You should deadhead anyway to try to reduce seeding as it is increasingly clear that buddleia is showing invasive tendencies in mid-atlantic natural areas as it has in other parts of the country.
Hi Ruby, I deadhead mine too, makes the bush neater, and yes it does increase blooms.
And as Mary said it will reseed, a few got away from me and I gave away baby bushes to co-workers this spring.
Chris
Thank you everyone. Will tend to this later this morning.
Ruby
Don't know if you can do this to a 30 year old Butterfly Bush, but our local "Gardening Guru" here always says you should cut the bush back to 12" in early Spring and let ir re-grow.
I have 2 BB, and this Summer they looked very sad. The blooms were sparse and very small. I have been deadheading. Maybe this awful heat did them in? One thing--O DID NOT cut them back this Spring. Maybe that's the problem......
Any comments on this by someone else?
Gita
I cut mine down to about 12" in the late fall, and evey year it springs back to about 7 feet high.
In my earlier post I meant to say it would bloom until first frost, not last. duh...
I have always cut mine to about a foot, or some healthy looking stems above that . Not very vigorous here this summer either. Mine are about a dozen years old and seems to be declining. Some fat stems at ground level splitting and not sure that new ones will fill in.
I never cut mine back at all - some are probably 10-11 feet tall. It doesn't seem to make any difference as far as blooms go. They all seem to be blooming fine this year but I feed mine every spring. Perhaps that makes a difference?
Despite the fact that they're supposed to be drought tolerant, I can tell you mine don't do well in our dry, rocky soil unless they're watered in the dry weather or in a spot where their roots get some shade.
Ours are doing well this year even after torrential rains. We do dead head the blooms and cut back in the fall.
The drawf white one usually goes to seed early unless we dead head.
Peggy
Delaware
Thanks everyone. Gosh Peggy, you have been about the only person who had theirs do well this year. I suppose that is what rain vs. no-rain will do. Mine was so beautiful and full last year that it has really been a dissapointment this year.
I deadheaded a few days ago and will let you all know if it decides to re-bloom any better. I love its purple color though and watching the many butterflies around it. It is certainly true to its name.
Thanks for all input.
Ruby
Ruby-it could've been that 15" of rain we got 4 days! lol
I have no idea why they're doing so well-other perennials are bolting and really bad.
Peg