My butterfly bush converted to a tree. It blooms with leaves but does not flower. It has grown to over 15' tall. Can I prune it back in January and will it ever bloom again?
Many bushes are grafted bushes/shrubs. This means that the top desired part of the bush or shrub is grafted onto a hardy tree root stock so that it will grow well in many climates. Some bushes and shrubs on their own root systems will not grow well in all climates. It sounds like the top desired part of your butterfly bush has died at some point and the grafted tree root stock has taken over. Thus it will not bloom again as it is no longer a butterfly bush. The best thing to do is to leave the tree if it is a pretty and hardy one. Go buy another Butterfly bush and plant it where you would like it to be and enjoy!
I live in Zone 5 and need to transplant my Butterfly Bush plant. I have not pruned it yet so need to know if I should transplant and then prune or prune before transplanting. Thank you. Joyce Davidson
Pruning before transplanting will make the move a whole lot easier. There'll just be less material to have to carry.
Butterfly bushes are really tough and can often stand to be pruned back almost to the ground in cold climates like yours. Go ahead and prune it as much as you normally would,then transplant it. It'll actually help the plant to have less material to have to feed while it adjusts to its new home.
You can read all about the transplanting process here: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/tips-for-transplanting-a-butterfly-bush.htm
A large stem of my butterfly bush "rotted". It feel off in my hands. Inside seemed to have a couple of beetle like bugs. The rest of the plant seems strong. Any suggestions? Do I hav e a problem?
The soil may be overly wet if you had issues with rotting stems. Make sure the soil is well draining.
Though Butterfly Bush is quite pest resistant, it can be infected by pests such as Japanese Beetle, Spider Mites, and Aphids.
Treat the plant with Neem Oil. Neem Oil is organic and safe for people and Bees.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/pesticides/neem-oil-uses.htm
When is the best time to trim back a butterfly bush? It wasn't done in the fall, and now new leaves are springing out.
It is fine to prune a butterfly bush in the early spring, but if you do this too late, you may reduce flowering this year. You can probably still do some pruning once the leaves are growing, but don't cut it back too far. It is also fine to skip pruning for this year, since butterfly bush doesn't need to be pruned every year
4 yrs ago We retired and moved from zone 5b in WI to 4 here in La Crescent MN. A Butterfly bush we moved successfully does not show any signs of life and My husband says " You say this every year!" I am ready to replace with a Fragrant Cloud rose. Verdict ? Wait for life or remove now. Thank you, Barbara Wagner
Butterfly Bush die back to the ground in our zone 4 gardens.
It can take awhile for it to grow from the roots.
As a zone 4 gardener myself, I have to say with the below normal winters, I have lost all my Butterfly Bushes.
They are quite inexpensive and readily available, so if yours does not come back plant another.
Adding some extra mulch in the winter can help.
Here are some links with more information.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/overwinter-a-butterfly-bush.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-care.htm
I planted a bush 2yrs. ago. last year I trimmed the dead branches off and it grew but not as high as the year before. This year I trimmed the dead branches off but nothing seems to be growing yet. How can you tell if its dead or not? Bob
If you are seeing no new growth, it may have died off over winter.
I have seem the same results in my own garden over the past 10 years. Beautiful plant, full of blossoms, and a plant that only winters over a couple of years before if dies off.
Give it a bit more time to see if it can grow up from the roots. If you see no new growth, I would dig it up and seek a replacement.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-care.htm
I have discovered that my butterfly bush is covered with leaves that have folded outward in half with extreme curling. There are a few leaves that are starting to turn yellow. I have had this bush, which has actually become a tree for more than eight yrs. I have no clue what is wrong with it and don't want it to die. Thank you kim
Inspect your plant for signs of pests and treat with Neem Oil.
Cupping leaves can also be caused by exposure to a herbicide.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/pesticides/neem-oil-uses.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/herbicide-plant-damage.htm