I'm in zone 7 (NC). I cut mine back in late winter. Usually about knee-high to me. There are some varieties that stay small (5x5) but I still cut those back, too. I realize you can get free babies, so if you take it home, just trim it every year. You don't have to be gentle with it.

I grow a lot of colors since I must share my land with deer and need flowering shrubs.

Cameron

'Adonis Blue' one of the small buddleia

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Here is a link that might be useful: more buddleia picks

I bought the miniature one called "Blue Chip." This one stays small (less than 2 feet) and looks more like a bedding plant.

Otherwise, I cut them down almost to the ground each year. This keeps them from getting those gnarly trunks and makes them put up strong, fresh growth each year.

I have one that's probably the same age as your sisters. As long as you cut it back, either in late winter or early spring, it'll remain gorgeous. After mine first bloomed at 6', I only cut it back to 4'. That season it was hideous, considering the lower half of the shrub was dead. I learned my lesson, to always cut it back as much as I can, which is 2', since the trunk is huge. It's a beautiful shrub that feeds lots of insects; I wouldn't be without them...

I cut my large ones nearly to the ground each year. They make four to six feet by early June and bloom all summer with this treatment. I skipped cutting them back one year due to illness and they were awful. No shapliness and little bitty blooms that turned black almost before they opened all the way. I cut them back the next year and they got back to their good ways.

I also have Adonis. This is my first year with it and it surely is nice.

This year I tried something different: I cut it down, but I also pruned it so the center was taller than the outer branches. Hoping for a pyramid shape. No cane was longer than 24 inches. So far it looks nice, but the Japanese beetles haven't hit yet..........

I love my Butterfly Bush and would not be without it. It has been my favorite plant in my whole garden three years running. Fragrant, non stop bloom, easy care, lots of butterflies and hover moths and insects in general. Love it.
Last year, I pruned our Butterfly Bush back by very small amounts and let it stay very large because the new growth was higher up the stems then it usually is. It topped out at 7ft, still looked pretty good, but vase shaped with bare bottoms. This year I cut it back hard. Here is how it is doing...

April 30th...

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May 11th...

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June 8th....

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Yes, mostly sun. The more sun, the more bloom and the more it will be bushy and have a pleasing shape. I think it gets between 6-7hrs of sun where I have it. When it is in more shade, it will bloom less and the structure might open up more and the branches might hang down more. I forgot to say that I actually saw a hummingbird eating off the butterfly bush last year. First one I've seen in this garden in 30 years. I liked it so much I made room for a second one, that is still pretty small this year.

pm2

Echinaceamaniac,

Where oh where did you find your Blue Chip? I am very curious about this one. How is it doing for you? Would you recommend this one for a small spot in the front border? I would plant it next to zagreb coreopsis.

Thanks for your time.

Melissa

Melissa,

I ordered Blue Chip from Wayside Gardens. It's blooming right now. It's still less than a foot tall~ I highly recommend it! I have it bordering some of my coneflowers and it's awesome. I rooted a cutting of it and am about to plant the rooted cutting next to it. I figure in a year or two I'll have a complete border around one of my coneflower beds. See below for a link to it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Blue Chip

I know it seems most on this post prefer a smaller, well-behaved butterfly bush (PM2, nice job. Your's is beautiful), as do I, but I was curious if anyone is growing Buddleia alternifolia? I know it gets huge. Does anyone have any experience with it?

I have 2 Buddleia, Black Knight and Pink Delight. I cut both of them back in late April or so when the first green buds of growth start to appear. The Black Knight I cut down to about 8-12 inches from the ground. It is a vigorous grower and always rebounds to about 6-7 feet high by the end of the season.

The Pink Delight is not so vigorous and seems to have a naturally shorter growth habit. This year, I cut the Pink Delight back differently - about 3 feet from the ground. This was because it had so many green shoots of new growth sprouting from much higher up on the stems. And I like to experiment.

I really like the way both of them are growing this year. They have a nice shrub-like habit.

Black Knight -

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Pink Delight -

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echinaceamaniac, have you seen much butterfly nectaring on Blue Chip?

If it's not attractive to butterflies I'd be wasting very precious sunny real estate even though I looked at it early this year trying to find the smallest Buddleia I could.

Settled for 3'x3' at maturity white buddleia from LazySFarm but had to put it in large pot to keep it in sun.

Blue Chip would be a great find for me especially if I could root some as you have to expand stock.

Thanks!

PrMoon, How BRILLIANT of you to do that documenting. I really think you should put those photos on their own thread in the shrubs forum.It will encourage newbies and others who are afraid of whacking.

EchManiac, plse tell me when this blue chip began blooming for you (and where you are). If you had to choose between it and caryopteris, would you choose it?does it have more color/flower impact than caryopteris?
thanks much,
Mindy

I live in Tennessee (Zone 7). My Blue Chip started blooming a few weeks ago. I was late planting this out into the flower beds. I had a busy summer. I ordered so many plants that I couldn't get everything done! Anyways..I planted it in full sun and a month later it started blooming like crazy. I've seen butterflies all over it too. I think it's a great plant.

I hate the big, ugly gnarly ones my mom grows with the ugly trunks. I understand why people grow them, but they are not the most attractive plants to me. This Blue Chip is a vast improvement. They should win an ward for this plant. I'm taking some more cuttings tomorrow evening after work! I'll post some photos of it in a new thread so you can see my cute little plant in all its glory.

echmaniac,
sounds terrific. plse tell me how you feel about it v.s. caryopteris, per my previous question.
thank you,
mindy

Mindy, I have caryopteris sunshine blue. The caryopteis is more colorful, but it doesn't seem to bloom as much. I actually think they would look good together. I might have to root cuttings of both of them. If I keep on I'm going to run out of space. LOL.

Thanks Echinaceamaniac for all of the info regarding Blue Chip! It sounds like a great little plant. I cant wait to see your pics!

Melissa