The Butterfly Bush

     Buddleja davidii, or the butterfly-bush, is a shrub I have planted many times for clients but have never had in my own yard. It's biggest virtue is that it attracts butterflies. But to me that was not enough to make up for  its rather awkward look, its odd fragrance, and the fact that it has no fall color and has sometimes died to the ground after harsh winters.

     This shrub's status has been improving lately, however. There are new cultivars out now that are smaller and have smaller leaves and daintier habits. I suppose we can also thank global warming for the fact that die-back is a far less frequent problem than it once was here. Buddleja is essentially a Zone 6 plant, and we have moved from Zone 5 to Zone 6. The mountain has indeed come to Mohammed. The shrub is still quite late getting started, however, so do not worry prematurely. You do want to cut the shrub down to less than a foot high before growth begins in early spring.

     I experienced a change of heart concerning Buddleja this summer. A friend gave me two of her plants this spring. The two shrubs did indeed attract more butterflies to the yard. But the big treat for us came this August when we found a hummingbird stealing nectar from the flowers. (Thanks, Pauline.) Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate here from Central America in the summer to mate. This was probably a juvenile fattening up for the flight home.

     We tried a number of times to catch our thief in the act but he was too fast for us. I had to make do with a file photo.

     Butterfly bushes like full sun and don't care for heavy wet clay. The stems are easily broken The blooms last almost as long as a Knock Out rose if you dead-head them regularly.