Late last year I pruned my very large, healthy butterfly bush to about 12" high. It is April and I see no signs of any new life. Have I killed it?
I doubt you killed it, but if you took off more than a third of the plant during pruning, it would certainly slow its growth and open it up to other issues. The plant could also just be slow to start this year. This article should help determine if the bush is still alive: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm For additional info on pruning in the future, this article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-pruning-how-to-prune-a-butterfly-bush.htm
How far back should I prune? I want it to grow to about 6-8 ft.
Have you ever pruned it before? If so, you have an idea of how much it grows after you prune it. You also want it to be full and have a nice shape. This article will tell you the basics : https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-pruning-how-to-prune-a-butterfly-bush.htm
Don't be afraid to experiment until you get the look you want.
What do they look like and where can I get one? Do they go by another name?
These shrubs have arching stems loaded with cone-shaped flower clusters of purple, pink, white or orange. There is even a nearly black variety available. Its genus name is Buddleia, but other than that I know of nothing else it is called besides butterfly bush. Unfortunately, these shrubs are only hardy in Zones 5-9, so it is doubtful that you could successfully grow one in your region of Zone 3. It would simply not survive the cold. However, even in areas where it's not hardy, it's worth growing butterfly bush as an annual just to watch the butterflies it attracts. It is also possible to grow the bush in a container, which would allow you to bring it indoors for overwintering. Not sure how well it would do, but it may still be worth a try. As for where to find one in your area, this may be difficult but you could check local garden centers and nurseries or perform an online search for reliable sources. Many mail-order catalogs have them. Here is more information: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-care.htm
I have a three year old butterfly bush that has reached a five-foot height and I am wondering if I should prune it now or wait until fall?
This article will help with that: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-pruning-how-to-prune-a-butterfly-bush.htm
Help! I had to relocate a 1 yr. old butterfly plant and it is a disaster! Obviously, it is in such shock that I am afraid it is a goner. The plant (approx. 3' tall) looks like wilted lettuce. Please give me some advice on how to save it -- the plant was given to me as a gift. I don't want to give up on it.
This article can help you with helping your plant recover: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/learn-how-to-avoid-and-repair-transplant-shock-in-plants.htm
I pruned my bush in late winter (only cut dried flowers off). It is now spring and my bush is still dead except for one stem I missed.
Normally, butterfly bush is tough and pruning can be done any-old-which-way.. See this article: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-pruning-how-to-prune-a-butterfly-bush.htm
However, if you cut the branches in the winter, and then there was a severe cold just after, that could have been damaging, and would explain why the one branch you missed is still alive. At this point, you can cut back the dead portions https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm
and hope for the best.
My mature butterfly bush doesn't have any leaves yet. Is it a late bloomer? We recently moved to this property. There is a very mature butterfly bush with several thick trunks but not any life yet. Is this normal? What to do? How do I determine if it is dead? Last year it was beautiful.
You might like some more information on butterfly bush to begin: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-care.htm
To determine if the bush is alive, start at the ends of the branches and bend them. If they are bendy, the plant is still alive. If they snap apart and are all brown, they are dead. Also, you can scrape some tissue off the bottom of the trunks near the ground, and if you see green there's still life, if there's all brown, the stem (trunk) is dead. You can always remove dead branches; you might choose to prune the bush to help rejuvenation. This article has more pruning information: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-pruning-how-to-prune-a-butterfly-bush.htm
The winter was very hard. Some plants are taking longer to recover than others.