Butterfly bushes die back in winter, grow back in spring: Ask the Ground Crew (2024)

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Butterfly bushes die back in winter, grow back in spring: Ask the Ground Crew? ›

Butterfly bushes are perennial plants that die back to the ground every winter. They then send out new growth from the roots in the spring. You can prune them either in the late fall or in the early spring before the new growth starts.

Their roots are sensitive to rotting, and if they spend any amount of time in wet soil, they can be set back or even die. Most of the time, if you lose a butterfly bush after winter, it wasn't due to low temperatures or snow or ice – it was because the plant sat in cold, wet soil in fall or spring.

If it's late in the spring and you discover dead growth on your butterfly bush, prune it away. New growth can only come from living stems, and this should encourage it to start growing. Don't do it too early, though. A bad frost after this kind of pruning can kill back all that healthy living wood you've just exposed.

Your plants might still be fine! Perennials and shrubs enter "dormancy" in the winter to conserve energy, which is basically one long nap. Some plants are still sleepyheads when spring rolls around, and are slower to leaf out in the garden. Butterfly bush (Buddleia) is notorious for hitting the snooze button.

Butterfly bushes are perennial plants that die back to the ground every winter. They then send out new growth from the roots in the spring. You can prune them either in the late fall or in the early spring before the new growth starts. It is best to prune them back to about 12 inches from the ground.

Butterfly bushes should be cut back to a foot tall to promote new growth and the best blooms. You can cut the shrub back to ground level; however, you take the risk of late frost or freeze killing new growth and losing the plant. Hard pruning is done in late February or early March depending on your climate.

Typically, a butterfly bush will live about 10 years. You may find some plants that live longer than that, but it's a rare case. Proper care of a butterfly bush will help it live longer and thrive in your garden.

New growth emerges when spring rolls around, but some plants hit the “snooze” button instead of waking up early. Butterfly bush is notorious for waking up a little later than the rest. Give them a few extra weeks in the spring to push out new growth. In cold climates, you may have to wait until late May or early June!

Pruning will encourage new leaves and flowers as you water and add the necessary plant nutrients. Trimming your bush is also an excellent way to keep the bushes neater while giving the direction of proper growth. Be sure the bushes are not infected with any disease such as mold or insect infestation.

Butterfly bush is very cold hardy and can withstand light freezing temperatures. Even in cold regions, the plant is often killed to the ground, but the roots can stay alive, and the plant will re-sprout in spring when soil temperatures warm up.

What is killing my butterfly bush? ›

Butterfly Bush strongly dislikes soggy or poorly-drained soils, so depending on the watering frequency or water flow near this planting bed, they may be getting too wet. When roots are deprived of oxygen from soggy conditions, they die back and can become infected, which results in a corresponding loss of branches.

“Rejuvenation pruning” really means cutting the plant down to its base. It should be done in early spring but should not be done every single year. Not all plants appreciate rejuvenation pruning, but some that respond well are Butterfly Bush, Blue Mist Spirea, Dogwood, Spirea, Forsythia, and Rose of Sharon.

But since butterfly bushes only bloom on new growth many gardeners prune them severely each spring to encourage lots of new growth and lots of flowers. You can prune this shrub back to twelve or twenty-four inches high. For most plants, that's a drastic reduction.

Our winter is typically too cold for butterflies to stay active, so they spend the coldest months in a dormant state - technically insects don't hibernate, but it's a very similar process. Most pass the winter as caterpillars, a chrysalis or an egg, but a few species spend the winter as adult butterflies.

Sow butterfly bush seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last spring frost date using a seed starting kit. Sow seeds shallowly in seed-starting formula, or just barely press in. Keep the soil moist at 70-75 degrees F. Seedlings emerge in 7-21 days.

Many gardeners prune their butterfly bushes all the way to the ground in late winter. This dormant-season pruning allows extra root and evergy reserves to quickly heal the wounds and supports vigorous spring growth. When the bushes break dormancy in the spring, give them some compost and fresh mulch.