Do you have a sunny spot in your garden?
A really, really sunny spot?
At least eight hours of sun a day?
Congratulations! You've got the perfect place to plant a butterfly bush!
|
|
|
|
Named for their nectar-filled flowers, which attract not only butterflies but hummingbirds as well, these long-flowering powerhouse plants are as beautiful as they come. So besides a whole lot of sun, what does it take to grow them?
|
|
|
Butterfly bushes can remain dormant as late as June. Once they're up and growing, you'll want to plant them as early as possible so that they have a chance to establish themselves ahead of the first frost. It helps to use some root simulator at the time of planting.
Speaking of planting, the way that you plant your butterfly bush counts for a lot!
|
|
|
|
Avoiding Wet Feet
Most of the varieties we currently stock are hardy down to -20°F. It isn't cold that typically kills Butterfly Bushes; it's wet soil. Preparing your Butterfly Bush for winter is all about soil and water.
- Butterfly bushes require absolutely well-drained soil. A raised bed is ideal.
- Make a small "hill" of soil to plant your butterfly bush in so that water will drain away from its crown
- Leave the area directly under your butterfly bush bare of mulch to avoid excess water retention
- Water your butterfly bush regularly, but not excessively.
Got a perfectly sunny spot, but soggy soil? Don't despair! You can...
Plant in a Pot
|
|
|
Dwarf butterfly bushes, such as the Pugster series, make excellent potted plants! Once temperatures drop below freezing, you can move the container, plant and all, into an area that stays between 35 and 45°F during the winter. A basement or garage is ideal. Once you see buds on your butterfly bush (which could be as late as June!) bring it back outdoors and give it a trim. Which brings us to...
Pruning
Butterfly bushes are notorious for their long winter naps. Cold may kill the branches all the way back to the crown, leading anxious gardeners to wonder whether they'll ever wake up again. But sometime in spring or early summer, your butterfly bush will start to bud out. If you have a standard sized variety, you should cut off the branches above the green buds. It should look something like this:
|
|
|
|
It may seem drastic, but in our climate, butterfly bushes re-grow from the base every year.
Dwarf butterfly bushes never require pruning.
|
|
|
Aren't Butterfly Bushes Invasive?
This is all too true where conditions are favorable, particularly in coastal areas of the United States. Here in Illinois, however, escaped butterfly bushes have only been noted twice in the wild, despite widespread planting. Furthermore, there's been a recent emphasis on breeding Butterfly Bushes that are either completely sterile or have very low fertility. Among these are the "Miss" series that we carry at Hoerr Nursery. If you're concerned about your butterfly bush setting viable seed, give one of these types a try.
|
|
|
|
In a perfect world, every butterfly garden would have plenty of space and sunlight to support a wide variety of natives that flowered in succession throughout the season, producing a constant supply of nectar. In reality, this simply isn't practical for all gardeners.
With its ability to flower from June-September, Butterfly bush is an important means of making sure that the butterflies in your garden have a constant, late season food source. It's also got universal appeal- almost all types of butterflies will flock to it, plus hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Mix and Match!
|
|
|
Remember, nectar plants for adult butterflies are only half the equation! If you're working to attract butterflies to your garden, it's equally as important to plant a food source for their caterpillars so that they can complete their life cycle. You can download a copy of our pollinator plant chart here.
|
|
|
|
It's Hardy Bucks season at Hoerr Nursery! Now through August 15th, bring in your Hardy Bucks and spend them just like cash for up the 50% of the value of any in-stock merchandise, in the garden center or at Stone Market!
|
|
|
|
Join Ethan Wise and Dan Diorio of the Greg and Dan Show for a weekly discussion about all things gardening! Tune in Saturdays at 7am on 1470 WMBD.
|
|
|
|
|
