All About Butterfly Bush | American Meadows (2024)

FAQs

What does the butterfly bush symbolize? ›

Buddleia has a history as a symbol of resurrection, rebirth, and new beginnings. Sporting a lesser-known nickname of “bombsite bush,” this amazing plant is known for thriving in the toughest environments — even in the rubble of war-torn lands.

Butterfly bushes are full sun plants. That means they should get at least six hours of bright sun each day. It doesn't need to come all at once – it can be in chunks throughout the day. In very hot climates, a bit of afternoon shade is permissible.

Plant your butterfly bushes about 4-6' apart, depending on the variety. When you remove the plant from the pot, do not pull on the leaves or stems. Squeeze the pot a little and the roots and soil will slide out for you.

You can also plant butterfly bushes in a mixed-shrub border with other shrubs, such as native Elderberry, colorful Hydrangeas, or other unique shrubs to add color and interest in summer and fall. Since butterfly bushes are deer resistant, planting them along the forest edge or in a shrub border shouldn't be a problem.

Butterflies symbolize freedom, lightness, and joy, reminding us to let go of burdens and embrace a sense of liberation. They can also serve as messengers of spiritual evolution and connection with the divine, representing the soul's journey towards enlightenment and higher consciousness.

It attracts butterflies because it provides copious nectar. However, butterflies need host plants on which to lay eggs and on which their caterpillars feed. Not a single native caterpillar eats Butterfly Bush leaves. If Butterfly Bush were just a pretty garden shrub, it would be less of a concern.

The plant is rich in nectar and attracts adult butterflies. Unfortunately, they offer little larval support, as they carry little to no food for caterpillars. These plants are also invasive, meaning they can quickly take over an area and impact the ecosystem negatively.

But without regular pruning, butterfly bushes can become sparse, and flowering can diminish, leaving next to nothing for pollinators. So keep pruning to keep the butterflies coming to your garden for years to come!

Pruning and Deadheading

Deadheading your plants means snipping off any browning flower clusters to encourage more flowering though the bloom season. Butterfly bushes bloom best on younger, vigorous growth and later in the season.

As you can imagine, the butterfly bush is famous for attracting butterflies, though hummingbirds enjoy its large, fragrant flowers as well. This perennial can grow five to 12 feet tall and spread four to 15 feet. Blossom colors vary, but pink, purple, red and white are the most common.

Can you plant 2 butterfly bushes together? ›

Spacing: Space plantss 5 to 10 feet apart depending on the variety. Plant dwarf varieties closer together.

A. Coffee grounds are a good source of slow-release nitrogen. They can be worked directly into the soil around your plants or added to your compost heap.

Is Butterfly Bush Toxic for Dogs? While they are not edible, they are also not poisonous to dogs, cats, or humans. Eating a large quantity (we mean a lot) of leaves, stems, or flowers can cause an upset stomach. It is certainly safe for your dogs!

Marigolds, Daffodils, Butterfly Bush, and Daphne are all very fragrant plants that rabbits tend to steer clear of. Below is a list of some of the more popular varieties of rabbit-resistant plants we carry, however, all varieties listed may not be available at all times.

The medicinal butterfly bush may be useful as a diuretic and pain reliever with powerful antimicrobial activity. In traditional Chinese medicine, Buddleja flower buds (mi meng hua) are used for eye complaints including bloodshot eyes, eye secretions and sensitivity to light.

Butterfly bush has a strong association with the faerie realms. She guides you to enable a world of light and color to flood through your being, facilitating a rise in consciousness above the shadows of the physical plane.

In the medieval Catholic church the event was seen as a typological parallel for the Virgin Birth of Jesus from Mary, who conceived as a virgin, as the bush was burnt but not destroyed.

For the Blackfeet, the butterfly was associated with sleeping and dreaming. They believed that butterflies delivered dreams. It was the custom for a Blackfoot woman to embroider the sign of a butterfly on a small piece of buckskin and tie this in her baby's hair when she wishes it to go to sleep.