Butterfly Bush is a shrub-like plant that looks sort of like a compact lilac, grows quickly and blooms in mid-summer. But the name tells you all about it: Butterflies just can't resist the flowers, and flock to the plants when they're in bloom. Magnificent "Bicolor" is one of the newer hybrids, and one of the first to give you a range of colors in the beautiful blooms. From orange to deep blue to lighter shades of both, each flower spike is a beautiful multicolored display.
The Magic: How the Butterfly Bush works: Buddleia or "Butterfly Bush" has been a sensation in American gardens for years, and no wonder. This plant is easy to grow, blooms profusely, and has that magical quality: Butterflies can't resist it.
Here's why: It's not just the pretty flowers that attract the butterflies, like any bright flower. Buddleias emit a special honey-scented fragrance that lures butterflies like a moth to a light, and then once there, they find the flowers super-rich in nectar.
A butterfly bush in the garden will often be seen with a mass of butterflies on the flowers, especially during hot sunny afternoons. Buddleias attract other insects too, like moths, and the reddish ones strongly attract hummingbirds. So it's more than a name; it's actually a botanical phenomenon.
|
|
|
Common Name: Butterfly Bush
|
|
|
|
|
Color: Fragrant lavender-pink flowers with touches of gold
|
|
|
|
|
Spread/Width: 60-72" wide
|
|
|
Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
|
|
|
|
|
Soil Preferences: Will grow in most soil types that are well drained. Drought tolerant.
|
|
|
Advantages: Deer resistant. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
|
|
|
|
|