Butterfly Bush

[diane.star]

Hey All,
I have a pretty large and over grown bufferfly bush (Buddleja i belive is the techical name).

I'd still like to get the flowers and the butterflies in the summer, but it needs cutting down. Is it too late, does anyone no any rules of where best to cut it back?. I'm pretty novise at this!

Thanks Di

[Lovage]

Your timing is spot on as February is traditionaly the month for pruning Buddleja although I might wait til after this cold spell

They should be cut down to about knee high, with a regularly pruned bush this is quick and easy with loppers, if it's not been pruned for a few years you'll need a saw.
Any thin whispy bits are best removed altogether.
It might seem drastic but it will still grow 6 -9ft and flower in the summer.
With regular pruning you get bigger flowers and at a height you can enjoy.

Some finger thick prunings cut back to 2 ft can be stuck in the ground without ceremony if you want more plants, most will root if they don't dry out too much

[Two_Sheds]

It should be pruned every year (early spring) to keep it under control.

You can be brutal with it: take it down to 18" high, it'll still grow like mad and flower this year

[zazen999]

We take ours down near the end of the summer; mainly because the neighbour can't get at her rasps when it is in full bloom - it bounces back each year though.

[Glutton4...]

I have mixed success with pruning things like Buddleia. I generally find if I want it to live, it dies, whereas if I want to kill it, it comes back even more vigorously than before

Perhaps I should stick to growing things that don't need pruning - like Veg!

Not a lot of help am I? Welcome to the Madhouse, anyway!

[Mac]

Some finger thick prunings cut back to 2 ft can be stuck in the ground without ceremony if you want more plants, most will root if they don't dry out too much[/QUOTE]

I'll definately be trying this this year - thanks for the tip Lovage. We planted aone last year and it was dripping with butterflies most of the time. So would love more plants.

[Flummery]

It's jolly hard to kill a buddleia! I cut mine down late Feb/March here in the north (ish) because you can get die-back from the cut ends if you get a really harsh spell after pruning. Generally speaking though, a sharp hair cut improves the flowering - the rascemes tend to be longer in the current year's growth.

[Mac]

At the rate this winter is going, I'd better hold off pruning mine til about July then! Still snowing!

[sagegreen]

You can safely prune buddleia into early spring, anytime after hard frosts, but it is likely the plant will survive even these!

[FionaH]

Tough as old boots those things, prune away

[diane.star]

Thanks Everyone for the advise!

[dogsbody]

I'll add my tuppence worth if I may.

I find March an ideal time to do the second prune on the plants (I have 7). Take it right down to just two leaf bud pairs from the base (in case of late frosts) - it will be 9 foot high by mid-summer.

The first prune should be in autumn (October) and take off the top two thirds of the bush to prevent wind rock damage.

[Flummery]

Mine is next to a fence and doesn't get much wind so I leave it all till spring. This means the birds have a field day over winter with the seeds.

[sweetiepea]

Some finger thick prunings cut back to 2 ft can be stuck in the ground without ceremony if you want more plants, most will root if they don't dry out too much

Thanks for the tip Lovage - I didn't realise it was so simple.

Like most of the other grapes I prune mine in the Spring (March) with good results. I just adore the flowers and scent.