I ordered and planted 'Adonis Blue' in my garden last year. It only grew about 2' tall, and it was very thin, too. It never really had a chance, though, because my huge 'Sonset' lantana grows next to it, and it grew right over it pretty early in the season. I just recently transplanted the butterfly bush to a bed where it'll have plenty of room, so hopefully it'll be able to grow to its fullest this year. I think it really is a dwarf, though, because my other butterfly bushes grow to 9' or more each year even when they're close to other vigorous plants. I hope 'Adonis Blue' grows to a reasonable size this year, because I just LOVED the color of the blooms - they were a stunning shade of royal blue! Sherry

I was told to leave the shrub alone over-Winter no matter how rangy & untidy they look until the new growths show up from the base (they love to sleep-in) usually by May in our zone. If you don't like the untidy look you might clip off all the spent blooms & top sticks. Occasionally in our zone we could have severe Winters ~ they will appreciate a mulch blanket. All 3 of my regular sized Buddleias are green at the bases & Lo & Behold-Blue Chip (mini variety) was a bit later ~ I will just now, prune close to the ground all the dead sticks! The pay off for all the trouble & dealing w/ the untidiness ~ by July all the flying beauties are glorious to behold!!!

Update: My Buddleia davidii has since been shovel pruned. I kept getting severe ifestations of Two Spotted Spider Mites. I tried to control them with a jet of water, but that didn't work. I tried to control them with foliar insecticide, but that didn't work either. The second year was more of the same, but the spider mites began to spread to other plants in my yard. That was when I shovel pruned the butterfly bushes. The spider mites are gone from my yard now and I'm still not sure why the Buddleia davidii in my yard had such a problem.

You think it's rank? You might check out BB's succulent milkweed cousins, the Stapeliads - their aromas range from sweet to rancid rotting meat. Sorry I don't have the answers to your questions, but what you have experienced is no where near to how much they can stink.