The blue butterfly bush has beautiful flowers, aromas and butterfly attracting powers

The Blue Butterfly Bush is a very fast growing plant the will provide large, colorful flowers throughout the summer and into the fall.

The butterfly bush flowers have a delightful aroma, which attract butterflies as well as hummingbirds to come dine on the nectar. This plant is a very easy grower, and quite popular in the southern climates.

Common names:

The butterfly bush comes in a variety of colors, and depending on the variety, some common names for this plant include “butterfly bush”, “Black Knight”, “Cornwall Blue”, and “Butterfly Heaven”.

Photo below taken at United States Botanic Garden

Clerodendrum: The genus name is Greek - dendron meaning tree. With each variety of the butterfly bushes comes a distinct family name that indicates the specific history of that particular plant.

Plant Description:

The Blue Butterfly Bush is unique to other shrubs in that it is an evergreen, providing beauty year round. It grows quickly up to 10 feet tall, but don’t let that deter you.

With pruning, it can also be easily kept under control and much smaller. The leaves, which are egg shaped, are about 3-4 inches long.

The flowers are about 1 inch long in “panicles” or about 4-10 inches. Not only an attractant to butterflies, the flowers on this bush resemble butterflies themselves.

Plant Location:

Plant your blue butterfly bush in partial shade. It is hardy in zones 10-11. While it will give the best results in a frost free zone, it is root hardy in zones 8-9. In these zones, it will die back in the winter, but will grow back in the spring. Photo credit User:Teacoolish

Culture Needs:

Frequent watering in the summer is important for this plant. Cutting the plant back will keep it at a desirable size. Pruning the old wood will also improve the next year’s flowering.

Landscape Usage:

Use this plant as either a standalone shrub, or as part of a mass planting. The greenery and flowers make it an extremely eye-catching plant, ant the attraction of butterflies and hummingbirds just add to the aesthetic beauty.

Pros:

Easy to grow from cuttings or seeds.Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Attractive smell.

Cons

The bush must be brought in during the winter in cold climates.