Do butterfly bushes need to be cut back to the ground?

[blue neen]

I've been doing a lot of work in my gardens this weekend since spring has finally arrived in western PA. :)

I have a fairly new butterfly bush. It bloomed profusely last summer, but when fall came I didn't know whether to cut it back or not. There doesn't seem to be any growth yet.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Gormy Cuss]

1. Not to the ground, but down to knee high will help revigorate it.

When it gets older, trimming down to waist high will be good enough. I think in your climate cutting back in the late winter/early Spring is the right time but I'm not sure.

Some of mine never get trimmed and they grow just fine, but with fewer blooms. Of course I don't have snow beating them down in the winter like most people do.

[blue neen]

2. Thanks.

I took your advice and trimmed it to between knee and waist high.

...looking forward to seeing those butterflies this summer. :)

[spinbaby]

4. I cut mine to the ground in the spring

Here in western PA, butterfly bushes usually die off above ground during the winter. Amazingly, they still manage to grow up about eight feet during the summer.

[Gormy Cuss]

5. I think it'll be fine either way.

A few plant guides say to the ground, others say leave a couple of feet on it. I think whatever works for your local climate is the key. My friends and family in the northern New England and New Jersey all cut it back severely but not to the ground. What an amazing plant. It grows so fast.

Here in Northern Cal I had to unlearn the pruning technique because ours can mature into more tree-like plants. When I first moved out here I was surprised to see these in local parks. They were only pruned every other year or so and were in the 10 - 12 ft height range year round.

[spinbaby]

3. It may be dead

It's been a rough winter here in western PA and a lot of plants didn't make it. If your bush is alive, it will have put out shoots at its base by now. If it has shoots, just cut off anything dead and let it grow up again. If you're not seeing shoots, dig it up and replace it.

I thought I had lost my butterfly bush this year, but it did manage to put up one little shoot a couple of weeks back, so I'll see how it goes.

[blue neen]

6. I am a little concerned about not seeing any shoots yet.

This past winter was harsh. I know I lost a rosebush and some perennials.

I'll give this a little more time, but not much more.

[spinbaby]

7. I'm near Pittsburgh

And have shoots about five inches high now.

[NJCher]

8. no, no, give it the time

I stupidly cut mine off way to the ground two years ago and it took a long time to recover but when it did, it was fine.

This year I didn't cut mine back at all. It's just now getting leaves on it.



Cher

[stuntcat]

9. I'm down in VA

and mine just took off a couple days ago.
I've never cut it down very far but maybe next time around I should to make it bush out more. It's pretty big for four years old.