There is some interesting information on the internet regarding Butterfly bush. The original shrub Buddleia davidii, is Chinese in origin, and has proven to be quite invasive in some areas of the U.S. primarily because of its very prolific seed production and high germination rates. The states of Washington and Oregon have banned it along with many of the new varieties of Buddleia due to this aggressiveness and it cannot be shipped to, or sold in those states.
Breeders have been hard at work developing varieties that are promoted as ‘non-invasive,’ with reduced seed set and lower germination rates. There are now a few varieties that are considered non-invasive by some criteria and these can be sold in Washington and Oregon. See the website below for a list of non-invasives (I do not know if this is a comprehensive list) and for more information:
Which butterfly bushes are not invasive? – ButterflyBushes.com
Pugster Blue is one of the Proven Winner family of plants. It is not on this list of non-invasives, and, according to the Proven Winner website, it cannot be shipped to Washington or Oregon, so that is telling. I have reached out to the Proven Winners company for further information. If/when I hear from them, I will post it here as an addendum.
I also found this from the Brandywine Conservancy addressing the non-invasive Buddleia:
”There have been recent introductions to the garden markets of purportedly non-invasive Butterfly Bush. These plants have been bred to not set as much seed. If you simply must have a Butterfly Bush, these varieties may be an option, but keep in mind that they don’t provide butterflies with the hosting benefits of native flowering shrubs. And history is replete with plants touted as non-invasive that turned out to be just the opposite (case in point: multiflora rose). Eco-conscious gardeners would do better to opt for the native shrubs.”
You can find the entire article by following this link:
Invasive Species Spotlight: The Truth About Butterfly Bush | Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art
You should have enough information to be able to decide whether or not you wish to plant your gift. Should you absolutely feel obligated to do so, you might also consider a hard prune in late summer, eliminating all flowerheads, before the plant sets seed.
FAQs
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.
What are the disadvantages of butterfly bushes? ›
Butterfly bushes grow and spread aggressively, often out-competing native plants. This can disrupt local ecosystems and decrease food and habitat availability for beneficial insects and other wildlife.
What does an overwatered butterfly bush look like? ›
Overwatered Butterfly Bushes exhibit distinct signs. Yellowing leaves and a squishy base are giveaways. A decayed smell? That's your plant's distress signal.
What happens if you don't cut back a butterfly bush? ›
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!
What is the lifespan of a butterfly bush? ›
Typically, a butterfly bush will live about 10 years. You may find some plants that live longer than that, but it's a rare case. Proper care of a butterfly bush will help it live longer and thrive in your garden.
What is better than a butterfly bush? ›
Native substitutes for Butterfly Bush
For sunny, open garden or landscape plantings, try Sweet Pepperbush, also called Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) or Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica). For wetter soils, try Buttonbush (Cephalanthis occidentalis)—a food source for moths—or New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus).
What states ban butterfly bushes? ›
Washington isn't the only place where butterfly bush is a problem. England and New Zealand, as well as several states on the Eastern seaboard, recognize B. davidii as an environmental threat. Oregon put it on its noxious weed list earlier this year.
Can a butterfly bush get too much sun? ›
"Butterfly bushes do best in full sun — or as much sun as you can provide," says Collins.
What is a good fertilizer for butterfly bushes? ›
Organic fertilizers, like manure, can also be used with good results. The material should be worked into open soil at a rate of one bushel per one 6′ shrub or 100 sq. ft. of bed area.
How do you rejuvenate a butterfly bush? ›
If it's late in the spring and you discover dead growth on your butterfly bush, prune it away. New growth can only come from living stems, and this should encourage it to start growing. Don't do it too early, though. A bad frost after this kind of pruning can kill back all that healthy living wood you've just exposed.
It is a very fast-growing plant that usually reaches maturity within a single growing season, but some wariness is warranted, as this plant self-seeds so readily that it is considered a noxious weed in some regions.
How to make butterfly bush bushier? ›
Remove the spent blooms periodically during the summer to encourage additional new growth and subsequent flowers until frost. If they have already started to leaf out, you can still prune them back some, but if you prune below new shoots, it will take much longer for it to fill out this year.
How to keep a butterfly bush upright? ›
I would suggest giving it support with a trellis or something similar. Avoid pruning it now as your garden visitors will not reap its nectar benefits. Come next spring, prune it back to 12 to 24 inches. As it starts to grow again, this should help the plant stand tall on its own.
Do butterfly bushes bloom all summer long? ›
Butterfly Bush blooms from mid-summer to early fall. Flowers form drooping or upright spikes at the end of branches. The wild-origin species is white-flowered with orange or yellow centers.
Do butterfly bushes bloom more than once? ›
Butterfly bush bloom on new wood so as long as you have plenty of sunlight, you'll get lots of blooms throughout the summer by pruning in the spring. Butterfly bushes do not need to be pruned every year. In fact, you only need to prune them when they get too large for the space allotted.
How often should I water my butterfly bush in the summer? ›
Use the finger test to check soil dryness before watering your butterfly bush. Deep watering weekly in summer, less in winter, promotes root health.
What to fertilize a butterfly bush with? ›
We recommend applying a granular rose or garden fertilizer in early spring, then again in late spring and early summer. Never fertilize a butterfly bush past late July, as doing so can interfere with dormancy. The best time to prune butterfly bushes is in spring, once the new growth begins to emerge on the stems.
