Buddleia is also known as Buddleja or Butterfly Bush. It’s a truly beautiful plant and should do well in most gardens. It’s a friend to the butterflies, hence the name, as well as lots of other insects. If you are thinking about planting Buddleia this year, I’ve put together some top tips around how to do this successfully and also how to care for your Buddleia.
Planting Buddleia
Planting Buddleia
If you are planting in the ground, Buddleia will do best if they are positioned in full sun, but you can also consider spots that have partial shade. They like fertile soil which drains well. The best time for planting Buddleia is either Spring or Autumn.
Choose your planting spot carefully, some varieties of Buddleja can grow up to 3 metres high and the same again in width. If your plant is young and small, it may only grow a metre or so in the first year, but once it’s established (after a couple of years) it is likely to grow to between 2 and 3 metres, even after some hard pruning.
Buddleia in a Pot
You’ll need to use a big pot. Find one that is deep enough to take the root system of the Buddleia. You’ll be best to position your Buddleia flower in a pot in a sunny position. Use soil which drains well as Buddleia’s don’t like to sit in wet soil, particular over the winter. Dwarf Buddleia varieties will grow well in pots or containers.
Watering and Feeding Buddleia
Wondering about how often to feed a Buddleia? The answer is that you don’t really need to feed a Buddleia flower. They are very low maintenance plants. You can plant them, water them sparingly and they should do well without too much fuss. You can give them the best start by planting them with some decent compost from the outset. The only exception is if you are planting Buddleia in pots, you may want to add some slow-release fertiliser to keep them flowering over the summer.
You should be watering Buddleia whilst they are growing, but once they are fully grown, they only need to be watered sparingly, as they don’t like to sit in water. Don’t forget if they are planted in the ground, it will hold water better than pots or containers, which can dry out more quickly.
Looking After Buddleia
After the butterfly bush has flowered, you’ll be best to prune the dead blooms. If you remove the dead flowers during the flowering season, then butterflies will continue to visit your Buddleia and it will look wonderful all summer.
Buddleia is best pruned in the Spring, once the frosts have passed. When pruning your Buddleja, you should cut back, leaving around 30cm of each branch. It’s important to prune a butterfly bush quite hard, as they will grow quickly and can easily overgrow.
I’ve planted a Buddleia Tricolour this year. I think the blooms on the Buddleia Tricolour look amazing and I can’t wait to see how it grows in my garden.
Are you a Buddleia enthusiast? Will you be growing a butterfly bush this year? What are your top tips for ensuring your Buddleja thrives year-after-year? I’d love you to share them below.
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