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California Gardening

Pruning Butterfly Bushes

17 years ago

Even in CA you're supposed to prune these all the way to the ground? I have 2 of the purple flowered and two of the pink flowered bushes. Mine are a little singed around the edges and need the flowers cut off but look ok, the info on them says to cut them down and they'll grow back better for it, is that true or only for colder areas and zones? I have a hard time believing that this bush can reach 10 to 12' in year if you cut it down to nothing, but I did do a little experimental cutting on it in the early fall and got some better side growth off some tall legginess. I just don't want to cut them down if I don't have to.

Leslie

Featured Answer

mike0508

17 years ago

lesdvs9, Butterfly bush (Buddleja) needs to be pruned down to get new flower growth. The flowers only grow on new growth. I have about 12 mature plants of different flower colors and leaf colors and prune all the branches to about 18" above the ground every 2 years in the winter. After 2 years of growth they average 8 feet tall and 6 feet spread, just large enough to maintain. Pruning the spent flowers in late fall will keep the bush looking neater also. Good Luck!

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Comments (11)

sumcool
17 years ago
It's true - they'll grow up to about the height they were before you cut them.
I wasn't a believer until doing it last year on mine, which have trunks like old trees. They're better than ever now.
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Hey Pat this is an issue that has me confused too. I've read on other sites that the bush should be cut back in spring or fall and it should be cut back to 6 to 12 inches. I'm pretty sure that I cut mine back in fall last time and fairly low to the ground, because butterfly's bloom off of new wood, but then when it came back it seems to me that it came back from the ground like a new plant, so why not cut it down to the ground? Then to make matters worse I read this year that the new wood part only means more blooms but that these blooms will be smaller than the ones last year and I like big blooms so should I prune mine back at all? They are both sitting out there right now un-pruned and it's getting warmer so I guess I better decide something sooner or later.
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Maybe better pruning a little late than too soon. I pruned mine back too early when we were having weather in the 70's back in March and almost killed them. The warm weather went on for so long that I thought it was going to stay that way (it didn't). Anyway, I agree with horster and I'd say to prune yours and have blooms a little bit later than usual, but they will bloom. Cathy
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Pruning Ornamental Shrubs Care and Pruning of Butterfly Bushes "These large shrubs often give gardeners fits about pruning. The important thing to remember is that these are tough plants. There is almost nothing wrong you can do. You can prune anytime. If you prune hard during the growing season the worst that can happen is you will cut off your flowers for a while. But, they grow fast and more flowers quickly replace those that are lost. The normal life cycle of this bush is to go dormant in zones 5 and 6. At this point the canes above ground are dead. They can then be pruned to the ground. This is usually sometime after frost. If you are in a marginal zone 5 area, it is a good idea to apply a three to six inch layer of mulch covering the crown. In zones 8 and up, the bush will remain evergreen and can be pruned to the ground or in any configuration that suits your garden."
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I have some that are "trees". I don't do the severe spring pruning (chopping them to the ground). I've let them develop woody trunks. They're now about 15-18 feet tall, I'd say. They have formed a nice umbrella-like canopy, and I hang suet feeders inside, which the birds love. I have a seating area under a pair of trees, which is really nice. I selectively prune out dead wood in spring. You'll always have some dead twigs. And I just selectively prune back certain branches to form new wood, and try to shape the Buddleia the way I want it to grow. If too much new growth comes from my pruning, I just cut out what I don't want. You will need pole pruners to dead head the really high flowers. While my Buddleia cultivars have never seeded in my garden, there is some concern with Buddleia (more in Oregon than in Washington, I think) becoming aggressive by seed, so I think if you're going to grow Buddleia, you should only do so if you can dead head regularly.
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lesdvs9
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks Mike, they were actually still flowering when the last freeze hit. That's why I was wondering about needing to cut them down, that explains why. I also was pretty impressed by how they weathered the freeze and not sorry I had four of them. I appreciate the reply, thanks again.
lesdvs9
Original Author
17 years ago
Sumcool, I saw your message too late, thanks also for the reply. I really like these bushes, best performers in my yard this year besides the roses! Everything else pretty much died. Well, ok have 3 azaleas that are hanging in there but the butterfly bushes way outdid them this winter so far. That's why I was concerned on not cutting them down if I shouldn't. Thanks for your comments, I'm looking forward to seeing them really grow big this summer then.
CA Kate z9
17 years ago
They get really ratty looking the second year if you don't cut them back --- I already did the experimenting for you. Roses don't look too good either.
vall3fam
17 years ago
Yea, these need to be wacked back. I have two and I just cut them back to about 12" to 18" inches. I did the same last year and they grew to about 10 feet in just one season. I think they look better for it. So just get in there and wack away! Elaine
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
17 years ago
I agree on cutting them back. One year I cut mine back in the fall because of the straggly look. The cut stems got a disease called "Slime Flux" which caused a major die back to the ground. Now I wait until spring to cut them back. Al
lesdvs9
Original Author
17 years ago
Ok I'm convinced!:) Thanks for the replies and that's why I asked, I figured other gardeners would know. This was a bush I hadn't grown before. I saw it on walks growing over a stone wall early last summer and when I saw young plants in Lowe's I couldn't resist. I've seen it growing straggly and I've seen it growing pretty good shaped. I'm aiming for the latter which is why I was experimenting with some cutting to see if I could encourage other growth last fall when it was still actively growing and blooming. My bushes all bloomed long past when they were supposed to, I've still got a few azaleas blooming on one bush even through the freeze.

Another question then I've just gotten out of the 20's two days ago now there was only minimal frost damage to these plants, you're saying this is a good time to go ahead then and cut it down now?

Thanks again and I appreciate all your comments and advice, it's alot more information than what I got off the internet.
Leslie
andrea_san_diego
17 years ago
I asked my gardener to prune my 3 bushes and he used a chain saw to whack it off at ground level in November. They've grown about 4' and look great!
mamamia
17 years ago
My neighbors have butterfly bushes that they never prune, so they are about 8 feet tall with tons of bare, woody branches and very few flowers. You really do have to get in there and hack them almost to the ground, just like Russian Sage.
lesdvs9
Original Author
17 years ago
Andrea and Mamamia, thanks for the replies, I'm getting to that today it's so nice outside. A chain saw, wow, they must be big old bushes:) No I don't want mine like the woody ones, I like them as full as they can be, I'm aware that they can tend to be like that. Thanks again, Leslie

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