Learn more in our guide about how to care for butterfly bush types.
Even major storms have little effect on these hardy shrubs.
They thrive in harsh environments, such as polluted urban prefs.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
They’re also resistant to insect pests, drought, and stress.
Butterfly bush grows well in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in a full sun location.
If planting more than one, space them well apart5 to 6 feet.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Blend in peat moss before planting if the soil is dense and poorly draining.
Be wary of this plant’s tendency to aggressively spread through self-seeding.
Removing the spent flower clusters before they can scatter seeds will help control the plant.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
As a result, many plant experts caution against planting butterfly bush under any circumstance.
It prefers a soil pH from 6.0 to 7.0, slightly acidic to neutral.
They will thrive on 1/2 inch of water by rain orirrigation each week.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
New natural varieties are still being discovered in remote areas of China and the Himalayas.
This is often a good idea even in warmer regions where the plant grows as an evergreen shrub.
To propagate one of these non-patented varieties, rooting branch cuttings is the best approach.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
However, butterfly bush self-seeds so readily that while easy, it’s not necessary to plant from seed.
you’re free to instead transplant the volunteer seedlings that sprout up around a parent plant.
It’s a good idea to cut off flower heads in the fall to prevent self-seeding.
Spider mitescause small spots to appear on leaves, gradually causing leaves to turn gray or bronze.
Silky webs may also appear on the leaves.
Left alone, predatory insects often arrive to keep spider mites in check.
Nematodes cause yellow patch-like damage to leaves.
There is no effective treatment, so affected plants will need to be removed and destroyed.
What Do Butterfly Bush Flowers Look Like?
Native host plants are a better choice as they provide resources for all stages of a butterfly’s life.
A lack of proper host plants can contribute to the decline of a local butterfly population.
Butterfly bushes do best in full sun and sandier soil.
The orange or yellow flowers form clusters rather than spikes.
Butterfly weed is a common roadside wildflower, but there are also cultivars developed for landscape use.
Morepollinator-friendly alternativesto butterfly bush include native plants, as well as butterfly weed.
Scout for Twospotted Spider Mites.
