I am thinking about getting the Buddelia Bicolor Butterfly Bush, planting it in full sun, rich soil, fair drainage (we have a clay base and I have amended and amended so should be good).
Is it a fast grower?
Any suggestions? Is the bicolor good for SC?
Thanks in advance
Lorie in SC (crossposting in the Carolinas Forum, too)
I have 4 of them. I planted them all 2 years ago this spring and the 2 yellow ones are doing the best. The one in front of my house is HUGE and is doing great. It is by itself because there is now no room there for anything else. It is in terrible soil and rarely if ever gets watered but it really attracts the butterflys and hummers
Lisa
I've several Buddelia bushes in the garden for butterflies attraction. Most hybrids grow rapid from basal dormancy to 5-6 feet tall in a growth spurt. These blooms on new growths, so early spring I prune them back 1) 2 feet tall above the ground, 2) Level with the ground. With either methods, they grew back and flower promptly. (I prune mine in mid.-late Feb.).
I also have a smaller flowers type of Buddelia that was shared by a friend, and I was told it's a species Buddelia in which its seeds will yield true seedlings. These grow to about 2 - 3 feet tall in the garden. (Other hybrids can grow as tall as 7-9 feet tall and spreading).
Lily-love-Can you go into more detail about the pruning thing? I read about it in a book and it went into so much detail I was affraid to touch the thing. If I had known this yellow one was going to get so big I would have planted it somewhere else. I have 2 yellow ones and they are both bigger then the others but the one that is in the "worst location" is HUGE but I don't want to prune it and then get no blooms at all.
Thanks,
Lisa
prune it after last threat of frost (Mar-Apr in your area?). Prune w/ abandon, won't hurt the plant. At that time you can also transplant plant to a more suitable location. However, trimming all the time to fit a space can get old after a while. I've made that mistake with certain lantanas.
You're lucky to have the yellow one, it's not rare but not that easy to find. I had one and I think I lost to overwatering. Haven't been able to replace 'cause I haven't found it again.
It would require heavy equipment to move the thing! I have already thought of that also it seems to really like this place it is thriving on neglect. So prune after the threat of frost not Feb. 14 like my roses?
Hi Lisa,
With Buddelias; their growth is pretty rapid as stated. My garden is relatively small, I prune mine to keep in scale with surrounding plantings. Also when I keep these relative small, for me at eye-level. I can continually deadhead spent blooms to stimulate new blooms all through the growing season. When these get too tall, all the spent blooms turn brown/black and look rather un-kempt (to me). I just give them a "severe haircut" that's rougly 2 feet tall above ground (in Feb. - prune them too early that may stimulate new growths before last frost in the area, and tender growth can be damaged by frost).
Then I will come back with a hand-pruner, and make sure the cut is just above a leave-node.
One of my hybrid Buddelias last summer and its frequent visitor(s). ^_^ :
The date to prune on each of our local area is approximate. I'm with vossner, time it according to your area's last frost date prediction. The keyword is "prediction". So check with your local extension officices or friendly neighboring gardeners who can give you a best "prediction" on when to prune. Buddelias and roses can withstand some cold once they're hardened. Only tender new growths (like most every new plants/growth) in the spring that we're concerned about being frost-tender.
thanks, lily, that is what I meant. I know my est. last threat but I was guessing on lisa's.
And good point Lily about height. I have a wonderful white one that I grow as a tree, but nowadays it is about 6 ft tall, taller if you count canopy and I am no longer able to deadhead spent blooms w/o getting my little two-step ladder. It has become one of those tasks that fell down, way down on the "to do" list. I have recently gotten a cutting of a dwarf buddliea, and I'm hoping it will take. My friend grows it and it stays at 1.5 - 2 ft tall x wide.
You've made me move the yellow up on the want list.
I just got http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2687/ in a trade. I can't wait to try it. I was already to start it and now we are having an unusual long cold spell. So will wait a bit longer. I hope it is as good as everyone say's it will be.
mj
i'm kinda surprised to not see more BF folks in the seed trading forums. There are ton's of nectar plants available not only for Bf's but for hummers too, if you willing to just plant the seeds.
mj
They make it so easy because all you have to do is throw the balls out. The seeds are encased in clay so they won't get eaten, blow away or be washed away by a heavy rain.
mjsponies, I have seen the b. alternifolia and it is gorgeous. Do give it space, it gets big and sprawling.
Well I have 11 acres, so it can have a big space...
