How and when do I prune the buddlea, butterfly bush?
Question:I have several buddleas about 6 ft tall and 5 ft wide. They put on a beautiful show of large flowers in the spring and now they are leggy with small flowers.
Answers:
A Well Lit Garden has it exactly right!
edit:
Well Lit deleted his answer, I don't know why, it was good. Hope you read it before it was gone.
I'm not sure where you are located, but in PA, the best time to prune them was in the spring. Not too early, since a freeze or a hard frost after pruning could kill the plant. Usually in mid-April, cut them back hard (Your size plants I would say to about 2ft.).
With a lot of plants, the rule of thumb is to prune after they are done blooming (Hydrangea, azalea, rhododendrons) because they will start forming their buds for the next year shortly after blooming. But the butterfly bush only blooms on new growth, so that rule doesn't apply.
If your plants are leggy, it won't hurt to cut them back lightly now. Just don't do a hard pruning.
Good luck!
I have 6 Butterfly bushes, and each year I prune them in the month of April. I cut them all the way down to about 2ft high, and right now a couple of them are 8ft tall and 6ft wide.
When you first cut the bush back, it looks pretty sad, but the bush loves it.
Good Luck!
Alicia Lane. Vienna, Va.
Buddleia Davidii, you prune it in the autumn when it is done flowering. Do not wait until spring. It sets its bloom late in the spring, so pruning it in the autumn will allow it to grow next spring and produce flowers the next season. Also called the summer lilac, and it as hardy as lilac (Syringia Vulgaris) so you can prune it back severely if you need to. It is often pruned down to 2 feet or so and in very cold areas may freeze down to the ground. Very hardy.
I own a nursery and we prune the butterfly bushes whenever they are to big or leggy. don't be afraid to cut them they are strong growers. i cut some back 2 weeks ago and they are already bushing back out and going to bloom again in 1-2 weeks. just remember they love the sun, heat, and water!
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