"Paul Ferguson" wrote in message
...
I read about pruning butterfly bushes, but I have several bushes
planted last April. They are now about 4 feet tall. Should these
bushed be pruned back to 1-2 feet high as recommended for more mature
bushes?

PaulF


I'm in zone 5/6, upstate NY. Because I've read conflicting ideas about
butterfly bushes, there have been years when I haven't pruned mine at all,
and the first year in this house, I hacked it to 12" in February. That's
generally a bad idea because enough mild weather can cause plants to make
buds, and when winter returns, they can be damaged. But, nothing seems to
hurt the butterfly bush.

I've done everything in between, too. Even when hacked severely, it was
still 8-10 feet tall by July.

If you're pruning for shape, go ahead and do it now if you're bored and need
something to do. But, I don't see that it matters. You can prune for shape
almost any time during the growing season, and the crazy bush will be back
to its previous size in about 20 minutes.