Butterfly bush not showing signs of life:(

I think we may have lost one of our butterfly bushes from this past winter. I see some sprouts at the base of one but not the other. I gave it a good pruning last week hoping for the best. How much longer should I wait before giving up. I can never remember when they start to grow. Poor brown plant in the middle of a green garden:(

Blackcat Blackcat
May '14

I noticed mine all died back to the ground this year. Of the dozen all but 5 have gotten new sprouts on the bases. I'm going to give them another week or so and see. I saw one last eve had gotten a couple tiny sprouts. Is yours out if the open? It seems the ones of mine that were hit hardest by winter are unprotected in the open.

Grascal
May '14

chickadee and I were talking about the same subject yesterday at the plant Exchange. The butterfly bushes all around have gotten hit extra hard. Mine too, and the ones by the library in Independence were cut way back too.

But I wouldn't worry about it yet. It's probably going to take extra time this year to recover and they may not be as big and healthy. This week of low morning temps isn't going to help either.


I am seeing this with quite a few of my bushes and plants this season. My rhodedendrum (sp.) tree is half brown and used to be so beautiful and in bloom this time of the year. Even the lilacs were not nice this year at all and very sparse on their tree... I am just going to wait and see because I remember one year when we had a really bad winter that lasted into early Spring the same thing happened. I left the plants and shrubs alone and they all came back to normal the following year..

joyful joyful
May '14

One is in the center of a rock garden - this one isn't showing any signs. The other one , which was at least 15 ft high, has some life.

Blackcat Blackcat
May '14

I spoke with the owner of 3 Brothers Nursery about the butterfly bushes and he said they all took a hard hit this winter and they, among other plants, are behind schedule. I have 7 butterfly bushes and they aren't showing much sign of life either but let's give them another couple of weeks at least before we rip them out.


I have four in an area where 1 is not beginning to show growth. I am leaving it alone for this season also. I am also seeing my hydrangea only showing growth from the base, nothing from the woody part. Having such an awful winter I am just amazed that.anyting has come back but that is Mother Nature at her finest.

justwondering justwondering
May '14

I also see no signs of life....but I guess I will keep hoping :(

I need my butterfly bushes!!!

Nosila Nosila
May '14

Our butterfly bushes also were very slow, but are now beginning to explode with new growth. Best year for our lilacs( bought 10 years ago at Lowes)

John C John C
May '14

My two butterfly bushes look like they are dead. So upsetting. They were a nice separator in yard but took quite a few years to get as big as they were.

VeraB VeraB
May '14

Glad to see this thread. Was going to pull out our dead butterfly bush today, but now will wait and see,

hktownie hktownie
May '14

Hydrangea turn very black at any frost at all, that's fairly normal. Then depending on what kind it may or may not get new growth on the old shoots. Should probably leave those for a while too, if you touch the old growth it's not going to flower at all this year and it will take more than one year to recover.

Of all things, my hydrangea which has been very slow to grow over two years looks better than last year despite the winter. And then the lilac that has been trying its hardest over 5 years is not finally totally healthy and strong with the most leaves ever. All the cold seems to have actually helped it.


Sorry to be a downer, but butterfly bush is an invasive non-native species. If you want to help protect our natural plant communities consider replacing those dead butterfly bushes with native plants that also attract pollinators. There are plenty of choices out there.

Gadfly Gadfly
May '14

Gadfly,not all butterfly bushes are invasive.

My Hydrangeas ?spelling took a bad hit from the winter also. It was those hot days and then 20's at night that hurt a lot of shrubs this year.

4paws 4paws
May '14

Gadfly - I have the slow growing "alba" species thank you. Besides, in our area butterfly bush is not considered as invasive like it is on the west coast.


I understand that there are some varieties of butterfly bush have have been bred to produce less viable seeds and therefore are less invasive. I don't know enough about them to comment on how "safe" these cultivars actually are.

However, in general, butterfly bush is most certainly considered an invasive problem in New Jersey.

Gadfly Gadfly
May '14

I wish I had seen this just a few hours ago. . . I dug up my butterfly bush. It had absolutely no signs of life. Now I'm wondering if that may have been premature - maybe I can replant it??

colette colette
May '14

I cut the last of mine to the ground and noticed some very tiny shoots beginning to show at ground level. There is hope yet.

Grascal
May '14

Buddleas have a hollow pith and if they were pruned in the fall a lot of time this will cause die off because the water freezes in the pith. But they almost always recover, even if it's very slowly. I wouldn't take it out just yet; not before the end of June/beginning of July. Hydrangeas have the same quality so I would leave them alone until about the same time.

Gotta love them though

tropicalgardens tropicalgardens
May '14

colette - Try to put it back in, there isn't much to lose. Worst case you replace it later.


Really glad I asked:)

Blackcat Blackcat
May '14

I looked closer later this afternoon and am seeing signs of life...yeah!!!!

kayaking kayaking
May '14

We've had a butterfly bush for several years ... it always looks like it will never make it, but then ... schazam (as Gomer Pyle would say) it always comes back, better than ever.

Andy Loigu Andy Loigu
May '14

Ours hasn't shown much sign of life either. Our plants took a beating in general. We have a blue beard that isn't looking good, either. And the hollies and rhododendron aren't too happy. I'll give them plenty of time. I would hate to have to replant. I ripped out the entire landscaping in the front of the house three years ago and put in all new. Hope I don't have to replace half of it.

MeisterNJ MeisterNJ
May '14

Out of my 4 only 2 are showing signs of life so far.

Magpie Magpie
May '14

mine isn't either, except at the very bottom, but im not going to cut it ,,, hopefully it'll come back..

teddy
May '14

Teddy, see if the top branches are flexible. If they are, they will come back. If not and they break easily, it's dead. You'll have to cut back in that case.

MeisterNJ MeisterNJ
May '14

We have some green shoots at the bottom! Going to cut back some of the dead branches at the top, and give it a chance.

hktownie hktownie
May '14

So even though the branches don't seem "alive", cutting it down may give it a fighting chance? The day I cut back our huge one, DH thought I was insane. That one has some nice shoots coming from the bottom:) As for the other one, I mixed some compost and new garden soul around the bottom...crossing my fingers.....

Blackcat Blackcat
May '14

I cut my butterfly bushes back every year - usually early March (I cut to about one foot from the ground). They both always come back with great blooms. Usually both bushes get to be about 8 foot tall each summer.

Nancy Nancy
May '14

As a rule, butterfly bushes should be cut down in late winter/early spring. They can be cut down to 10-12 inches high and will come back stronger.


Yay! With all the dead bits cut off, the green shoots are really coming up now, bush is about a foot tall. Don't know if it will regain its usual size, but we'll still have it.

Thanks HLers, would have ripped it out if we didn't have this thread.

hktownie hktownie
Jun '14

Ours is coming back strong as well. Now, the bluebeard? Not so much. Shame, it was really gorgeous last year.

MeisterNJ MeisterNJ
Jun '14

Mine is coming back, too, as is the huge holly we thought we were going to have to cut down. Shed all its dead leaves and now sprouting fresh ones, along w. some blossoms. We haven't seen it blossom since moving here.

ladeevee ladeevee
Jun '14

Our butterfly bush is ready to go ... now we just need some butterflies.

Andy Loigu Andy Loigu
Jun '14

Three out of 5 of my butterfly bushes are coming back, one very slowly but it is more in the shade. I lost my favorite yellow bush :>(. I have spoken with several people especially at garden centers and the butterfly bushes everywhere in the state have taken a big hit. I have seen some butterflies but my bushes are no where near ready for flowers yet.


Mine survived just is behind schedule. I don't know if it helped or hurt that it's a white species and not the regular purple. Too bad about the yellow one Iris. You're the first person I've heard talk about yellow, and would liked to have seen it.


I was so excited about it and it did well last year. So far I haven't been able to find another yellow one. I've only seen the white and purple varieties but I have seen low growing bushes which I haven't seen (or noticed) before. I will keep searching for yellow!!!


my butterfly bush didn't make it back this season. has anyone noticed a decline in the number of bees? seems they are few and far between in my garden this year.

Poppy Girl
Jun '14

I have 3 butterfly bushes, all 3 are located within feet of my home...and all are doing well. Maybe because of the heat coming from the house they were spared from the bad winter?

tripsy tripsy
Jun '14

Count yourself lucky, tripsy!!!


My white one is doing awesome!!! Purple is showing life but a very slow start

Nosila Nosila
Jun '14

Bit the bullet and cut the one not showing any signs of life by now to the ground:( I picked up a small one in Lowes yesterday and planted it close to where the dead( hopefully dormant) one was. I also had a huge tree sized one that has a good dozen shoots coming up from the base. I finally cut the limbs off yesterday. The butterflies look lost when they come around now. Waiting for the other butterfly/hummingbird friendly flowers to take off:)

Blackcat Blackcat
Jun '14

Godlewskys has small butterfly bushes in the small 3 packs for $2 if anyone is still looking for purple.

wagsinhack wagsinhack
Jul '14

Thanks for the heads up, wagsinhack. I have 2 that survived the winter but they are growing very slowly. By this time last year, they were at least 9' tall, this year they are about 5' tall and just starting to bud.

kayaking kayaking
Jul '14

Poppy girl definitely not, I've been stung more times than I can count this year

Penningslandscaping Penningslandscaping
Jul '14

I would agree with the number of bees. Maybe at first back in early May they might have been a bit slow to appear. But crap, every time I got to water anything it scares up a bee or two. I've got both white and purple cone flowers that you can't keep a swarm of bees off of. Now other years I've been really worried about wasps but this year haven't seen as many. But particular the every day honey bees as opposed to bumble bees are just healthy as could be. Or is that bee? ;-)

I'll also say that it was nice today to see a couple of butterflies partaking of the bushes by the County Library next to cbel's garden. It's also been quite an excellent year for the bee balm that has drawn both the bees of all types and the humming birds to beat the band. I posted pictures of the humming birds, they have just been daily visitors this year compared to maybe once a week other times.


I've gotten lots of bumble bees but few Honey bees... my bushes all did make it back and same as kayaking they are just beginning to bloom. Still pretty as ever... did anyone ever find the yellow ones for sale this year? I'd love to add a different color as I have both dark and light purple...

Grascal
Jul '14

Mine is purple every year and I'm happy with that (Ravens color).

In addition to the usual butterflies and honey bees (Orioles colors), we have two hummingbirds visiting this year.

Andy Loigu Andy Loigu
Jul '14

I bought a white one this year that is doing wonderful....and I have purple too.

I just ordered yellow.

http://www.directgardening.com/detail.asp?ProductID=5625

Nosila Nosila
Jul '14

Mine are doing very well, also about five feet and loads of blooms.

We had the most interesting creature come and visit them yesterday. I first thought it was a very small hummingbird, but learned it's actually called a "hawk moth".

Too cool.

abbadabbadoooo abbadabbadoooo
Jul '14

Thank you Nosila... I will order some. I previously had taken purple and white and planted the seedlings in the same hole. It is interesting to see both colors mixed together in one bush.

Grascal
Jul '14

Hawk moth or hummingbird moth?

Blackcat Blackcat
Jul '14

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