Butterfly Bush

[John Beaulieu]

I have a bush that is a butterfly magnet when it is in bloom and right now (late June) it is peaking. I am not sure what it is, and I hope there may be some butterfly gardeners on the forums that may know.

I have Buddleia (that I struggle with, as we are on the northern edge of its range - zone 4) but the leaves of my mystery bush are not as long or pointed as the regular buddleia. The leaves are also thicker on the mystery bush. The flower clusters are not as elongated, tapering to narrow tips as I see in most buddleia photos.

This bush was on the property when we moved here and is planted with a lilac, making them look like one large bush. The lilac leaves are much wider and pointed though.

I have some photos showing the size of the bush (to the right of our screen tent) and some closer shots (some with butterflies), in the hope that someone may know what it is. Perhaps some different species of Buddleia, Lilac or ???



Thanks for any help or ideas,
John

[GBMonarch]

Boy if it keeps coming back each year, I want to know what it is too!

I plant butterfly bushes each summer here in Wisconsin, but they never make it back the next year. I've tried heavy mulch thought the winter, but I've never been able to keep one for more than one season.

If anyone knows of a bush that's winter hardy, please let me know.

Thanks

[John Beaulieu]

Well, I found out what it is. I went to Greenway Garden Centre (which also has a butterfly conservatory) near Guelph, Ontario, and they quickly identified a cutting I brought as 'Privit". This is the very common privit hedge shrub (Ligustrum vulgare), but most people, of course, trim it as a hedge and never know that it flowers.

A quick 'google' when I got home, confirmed this, as I found several images lookig like my plant. I also see that there are several colours available as well as other species... I will now be on the lookout for those at local garden centres.

It has a short bloom time of about 2 weeks (according to my plants), not nearly as long a period as the real butterfly bush, but it does fill in the time frame gap between lilacs and butterfly bush.

Regarding the butterfly bush (Buddleia) that I struggle with... Last summer I bought one and planted it in a large tub, which I moved into our garage in late fall. I figured the protection of the garage might be more similar to warmer zones. I brought it out in the spring and it had survived quite well.

John (in zone 4)

[butterflyman]

Privet is a nice nectar plant in the spring, but I prefer the Golden Privet to the Common. The common privet can be invasive and drops too many seeds and you literally have to pull them out by hand.

[John Beaulieu]

'Invasive' is so relative to whether you 'want' more plants. In the seven years we have been here, there have been no new plants coming up from the privit, seed or otherwise. I understand you can propagate it by cuttings, so I will try that. I would not mind more in other areas of the yard. I may try 'planting' some of the seed. I'll also keep an eye out for the golden variety.

I also wish the milkweed in our yard would live up to its reputation of being invasive and spread faster, so we would not have to collect plants elsewhere for feeding the caterpillars!

We have another weedy shrub in our yard, commonly called wild elderberry by locals who warned us it is invasive and should be pulled out. It has nice fern-like leaves, much like sumac (which we also like) and in the spring it too has nice white lilac-like blooms which have now turned into red berries. Today we were rewarded by seeing a Baltimore Oriole feeding its young at the berries.

The outer edges of our yard have a lot of trees and shrubs, most of which are native. It can be a little 'wild' (natural), but the shelter provided supports many interesting birds, just as the garden attracts the butterflies.



John

[Jed]

Just planted 67 Buddleia davidii that I started from seed purchased from Johnny's. I started with 2 flats of 36 cells and repotted once before planting. So they are easy to grow,lol. I live in West Greenwich,RI and really hope these overwinter here ok. I am growing them as a hedge on two sides of my vegetable garden in full sun with sandy, well drained soil.

[Mona Miller]

Buddelia is considered an invasive species in some areas. Asters and goldenrods are far better nectar sources in the fall. Asters and goldenrods give Monarchs secondary toxins when they nectar them as adults.

[lcbergan]

Don't give up on your butterfly bush. Also, don't cut it back too far in the fall. Live near Chicago and it is always the last plant to sprout in the spring. Planted one at the school where I teach and gardners took it out when did not sprout fast enough for them. Mine a home sprouts in May, sometimes late May.