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Butterfly bush survived, now what?

12 years ago

We had a rare mild winter in mid-central IL. Usually my butterfly bushes get cut way back now (the roots always survive but the last years tops don't)...I trim down to a about four/five inches and eventually new growth comes from around the base.

This winter I think we got down to like 10 degrees once, and mid teens a few times. Otherthan that we were in the 20's. The above ground stems are well alive. Ok, as it does not happen here usually, I have no idea on what to do.

If I leave the tops and maybe just trim/shape up some, will I still get 'normal' good blooms this summer? Should I cut them down as usual? I'm out cleaning off the garden. I have almost total beds/borders in a cottage garden style. The three to four plus foot stems are annoying me as I watch all my early spring bulbs bloom The butterfly bushes all over the place distract from the pretty spring bulbs ((yeah, I know, only in my mind and no different than my other type shrubs, but still...). I can live with that if I should, but I seriously have no idea what to do with them this year. 30 yrs in the garden and I've never faced this issue. I want my usual pretty blooming bushes this summer, so can anyone advise what to do this rare year I'm having? I've got plants coming up all over that never return here (which is a plus of course and a treat) but I don't want to damage my actual pernenials and/or lose my summer blooms.

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Comments (7)

flora_uk
12 years ago
I would cut them down as usual. They always overwinter in my climate but we still cut them down. It gives you bigger blooms, better foliage and avoids a tangle of twiggy branches and dead seed heads. Buddleja is a pretty messy shrub if left to its own devices. They are a weed species here and line many railway tracks because they love growing in the stony ballast. They look OK in bloom but a real mess the rest of the time.
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
12 years ago
I am also not in your climate, but can see NO reason that you should hesitate to cut them back as you have in the past. Al
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denninmi
12 years ago
I don't know. Following the rare winters they don't die off for me, I enjoy the show of an enormous butterfly bush, sometimes 8-9 feet tall. I think this has only happened about twice in 20 years, this year will be the third time.

They are a bit unkempt the 2nd year, and they retain the old seed heads. But, it's a small price to pay for an enormous display.

No doubt Mother Nature won't let this happen to us in the North two years in a row now.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
same as denni here in MI .. they do not thrive here in MI ...

but i have had them do as you note in z5 ...

only to be taught a cruel lesson after budding out.. and getting hit with a hard frost/freeze .. which is possible thru 5/15 in my z5 ..

so.. dont count your chickens.. till the pigs roost ...

or something like that ...

ken
finchelover
12 years ago
I don't trim down my BBbushes until I see new growth coming up and then trim about 4=6 inches. It looks nice but we still can get real bad weather
gardenweed_z6a
12 years ago
We had a rare mild winter in north central CT as well when the lowest temp I recall was nearly 30 degrees above last year's lowest mark. The leaves on all my butterfly bushes, both commercial & seed-grown, remained green right through the winter.

Here's what Bluestone Perennials says to do:

Plant Care:
Flowers form on current growth. Should be cut back to 12-18" each spring. Will quickly grow back with many flowering canes.

I bought 'Black Knight' from BP a few years ago and it's done wonderfully well. I cut it back to 8-10 inches in spring/March when I see new growth at the base. I'll do the same this year since I don't care to see it grow to massive proportions where it's situated. I see no point in leaving the old growth since it won't produce blooms this season.

I grew several butterfly bushes from seed via winter sowing that will also be cut back the same as 'Black Knight' since they bloom on new wood. For me, the whole point in growing butterfly bushes is the flowers that provide nectar that attract the butterflies.
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
12 years ago
When I lived in OH, I would wait until the BB's were growing well and there was no danger of frost. Unfortunately, that's still a few weeks away for you. You could risk instigating a growth spurt that the plant is not yet ready for, or succumb to a late freeze would have been more easily handled if the plant had not been prematurely spurred into speed-growth mode.

Wherever I am, I only trim them down to a point where all of the branches are very sturdy, which varies from plant-to-plant, anywhere from a foot to 4 ft. Stick the trimmings in the ground or pots for new BB's.

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