No web links as responses, please. I'm looking for input from people who've
actually owned & maintained a butterfly bush, preferably in a northern
climate, zone 5-7. I'm in 5/6, depending on luck (Rochester NY). No
theoretical responses, in other words, like marital advice from priests.

My new (as of 9/04) house came complete with a butterfly bush near the front
door. It's 6' high & 8' wide - a real monster, considering it's position
near the sidewalk. In its center are 3 dead "trunks" about 3" thick. The
previous owner cut them down to 3' and used them as attachment points for
wires which support the outer, thinner branches (not sure that's
necessary-they seem woody and stiff enough). The bulk of the growth looks
like what you'd call "suckers", if they were coming out of the base of a
small tree. These branches were very healthy last fall, supporting lots of
good leaf & flower growth, and poking everyone in the face as we walked by.

I pruned some of the pokiest branches back a bit (for safety) in September,
and they grew back quickly within a couple of weeks. What I'd like to know
is whether I can whack the whole thing back by half, in the hope that maybe
I'll end up with a 3-5' diameter, instead of 8+ feet. The thing seems to
grow like a weed. Is it bulletproof enough for drastic measures?

This is the only flower I've ever seen which attracted bees the size of
grapefruits. Absolutely amazing to watch.