How do I trim a Butterfly Bush?

Deb118 · Post by **Deb118** » Apr 02, 2004 10:40 pm

I bought a varigated one last year, and it grew alot. I know I'm supposed to prune it back, but how much?

BillyB · Post by **BillyB** » Apr 02, 2004 10:49 pm

Deb, I have two buddleia "White Profusion" and trim them back to about 18". They have already started sprouting new growth for the year.

Billy

Deb118 · Post by **Deb118** » Apr 02, 2004 10:54 pm

Thanks Billy! I was checking it out today, and I see a couple of green buds down at the base of it. And I remember my MIL always talking about trimming her's back.

Dustbunny · Post by **Dustbunny** » Apr 02, 2004 11:10 pm

Oh your lucky to get one to grow, Yes i know everyone says the are really easy to grow..

I have tired many over the years, and I can never get one to live over the winter..

I have no idea what I am doing wrong with them, so I have just given up..

Old earth dog · Post by **Old earth dog** » Apr 03, 2004 2:20 am

Deb, I wait till the last frost is over then cut out dead groth and down to whatever height you like. Cut out some of the thick, old stuff all the way to the ground. I also pinch back mine a couple of times a year. It stays a little more compact with more flowers. Then dead head to keep it blooming longer. If you trim it back to just new groth, they can get quite large, but lanky.

Patrushka · Post by **Patrushka** » Apr 03, 2004 2:31 am

I missed this post earlier. I'm glad you asked that question Deb. I bought a BB last year too. I don't see any green buds on mine. It looks dead as a doornail. I know that it might not be so I will keep watching. I sure hope I get to use the pruning info.

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Apr 03, 2004 5:01 am

Granda is correct as usual Debs

Buddlias take very hard pruning ... you can virtually prune them back as hard as you like and they spring back in the same year with loads of flowers
I do the same as yer nice ole granpa ... back to about 12 - 18 inches, and removing completely old heavy wood
I have the common purple one, a beautiful white one, a yellow one and, my favouirite, a glorious deep blue

They also grow easily from cuttings and from layering (more information on that frum Dawgy)

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » Apr 03, 2004 7:17 am

Deb, I just did mine last week......I have 4. Two Black Nights, one regular purple, and one honeycomb (yellow) I got in a trade..... The one I have in the front I trimmed to like 2 feet, maybe a little taller......that one is the oldest and it has really fat branches....It was hard to cut them, but I got it to about 2 feet I think....

viktoria · Post by **viktoria** » Apr 03, 2004 8:37 am

I cut mine (several) right back to the ground (leaving just a couple of live buds) each year. They would get too large otherwise.

Don't forget to deadhead! Aside from keeping the bush neater and prolonging the bloom, you will avoid volunteer seedlings. I have scads.

Deb118 · Post by **Deb118** » Apr 03, 2004 11:23 am

Thanks for the great info

I think I'll give it a little while yet before I do it. To make sure. I do want to keep it kinda compact and bushy, for a nice show at the curve of the drive by the house.

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Apr 03, 2004 11:25 am

Show us yer curves Debs

Deb118 · Post by **Deb118** » Apr 03, 2004 11:28 am

You know the old saying, Sam.... "Real women have curves" I'm about as real as you can get

Bout to pee my pants here, Sam!!!

Old earth dog · Post by **Old earth dog** » Apr 03, 2004 6:03 pm

Grandpa is starting to get the shakes here.

Riskey bud · Post by **Riskey bud** » Apr 03, 2004 6:19 pm

Relax Patrushka, I don't think it's unusual for the Buddleas
to die to the ground in the north. It should come up from the roots, but in later spring. Too early yet , I think. I've always heard also they can and should be cut back even in the south where they don't tend to die back. The plants just look neater and more uniform with mostly new shoots, and not a mix of the slower growing old growth and the quick and long growing new shoots. I guess it's a matter of personal taste if you wish to leave on lots of the old growth, but I don't even have one, so I'm not sure what I'd prefer.

Homer_Zn5 · Post by **Homer_Zn5** » Jun 01, 2005 6:35 pm

I have three of these: one that is just now starting to put up new growth for the year; another one has been growing well for about a month now, and a third one that still shows no signs of waking up. I don't give up on these until mid-June, as it takes some time for these to pop up.

Should I be covering these in the winter? I did so the first year, but have not covered them since then. They die back almost to the ground each year, and my oldest one is starting to form a rather large "stump".

Old earth dog · Post by **Old earth dog** » Jun 02, 2005 12:27 am

Homer, no need to cover them in the winter. In the colder arreas iot's normal for them to freeze back to the ground. As for the stump, there's no reason you can't chop that to the ground.