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.

What I'd like to know is whether I can whack the whole thing back by half...... Is it bulletproof enough for drastic measures?

Be careful. I cut mine back to the ground and it never grew back.

vince norris, Zone 6

In article ,
vincent p. norris writes:
| What I'd like to know is whether I can whack the whole thing back by half...... Is it bulletproof enough for drastic measures?
|
| Be careful. I cut mine back to the ground and it never grew back.

As with most shrubs (and people), they are more resilient when young.
In general, B. davidii and several others can be cut back as hard as
you like. It is generally a good idea to avoid cutting them back to
wood that is more than a few (say, 3-5) years old.

But don't worry - they are short-lived anyway, and will regrow
within a year or two from a new plant.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Our Butterfly bushes get cut back to only a few inches from the ground. In
doing this we get more stems ( a bushier look). Last year mine grew to about
5'. I am in zone 5b. The large on is in the south and the smaller one was
under a Mantoba Maple and still did well. We cut down the Maple this winter
so we should see how well it grows now.

--
Dana
www3.sympatico.ca/lostmermaid
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
vincent p. norris writes:
| What I'd like to know is whether I can whack the whole thing back by
half...... Is it bulletproof enough for drastic measures?
|
| Be careful. I cut mine back to the ground and it never grew back.

As with most shrubs (and people), they are more resilient when young.
In general, B. davidii and several others can be cut back as hard as
you like. It is generally a good idea to avoid cutting them back to
wood that is more than a few (say, 3-5) years old.

But don't worry - they are short-lived anyway, and will regrow
within a year or two from a new plant.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In zone 5 we get several complaints to our garden center of dead
butterfly bushes in the spring...but its something like Mark Twain's
"The rumors of my death were greatly exagerated". They can be slow
to "wake up". yes..pruning early is risky. We have one that is
pruned to 18" in late spring that becomes a 3 ft shrub everysummer.

I pruned mine about a week ago to about 10". Before our wonderful storm
yesterday it had already started to sprout leaves around the 3-5" range. It
is planted in the south about 6" from the brick wall. It seems to be doing
great. I started it from seed (William Dam) and this is its third year.
My mother cuts her to the ground every year. she is not in the city but on
the top of a hill that is constantly windy. Hers is always much later than
mine.

--
Dana
www3.sympatico.ca/lostmermaid
"jazzylee" wrote in message
...

In zone 5 we get several complaints to our garden center of dead
butterfly bushes in the spring...but its something like Mark Twain's
"The rumors of my death were greatly exagerated". They can be slow
to "wake up". yes..pruning early is risky. We have one that is
pruned to 18" in late spring that becomes a 3 ft shrub everysummer.