Now I’m a sorry gardener, but I’m not a pathetic one. And it was colder than usual this winter, but not that much colder. Regardless, I seem to have killed the butterfly bush.
How’d that happen? It’s basically just a big weed—and the little weeds all survived. It’s a shame to lose it, too, because the butterfly bush was one of the few plants that grew in the rocky hill bed. Last summer it was huge and towered over the foxgloves like Medusa with its arching branches and bright purple blooms splayed every which way. Now not so much.
I did cut back some broken branches from the ridiculous amount of snow we got in December. But I wasn’t concerned because it’s a butterfly bush. And then I did prune a bunch of deadwood after the big cold snap in March. But I wasn’t concerned because it’s a butterfly bush. And then I did hack on it some more in April because it looked so terrible from the other prunings—like when I trim my bangs and can’t get them quite right and keep snipping and snipping. But I wasn’t concerned because it’s a butterfly bush.
And now there’s just that one little sprout. Go, sprout, go! I can’t believe I killed the butterfly bush.
Not sure where you are, but here Butterfly bushes are one of the last things to show signs of life, so don’t give up hope yet That said I’ve killed three now.
Killed three, huh? Gee, that’s encouraging. Thanks for stopping by, Erin. ;->
Hi, Sorry, Up here in Toronto (USDA Zone 5), butterfly bush commonly dies back to the ground over winter and still manages to come back and flower. Give it a bit of sulking time before you despair.
Welcome, Helen. I’m feeling better already. Go, sprout, go!
Can’t believe you have a stalk that big! Here in the mid-west(zone 5, like Helen), I cut mine to the ground,early spring, so your hacking on it shouldn’t have been a factor in it’s near demise. Maybe it just needed a fresh start. Mine is about a foot tall now so there is still hope for your little sprout! Keep us posted!
It is a very old butterfly bush, at least 13 years, so a little rest is probably reasonable.
Go little sprout go! I’ve killed more butterfly bushes than I can count. Yet, every spring I plant another one. I’m stubborn like that. One day I’ll find one that can survive both my abuse and our ridiculous weather and then I’ll reproduce it and make a bundle!
Thanks for stopping by, bughunter99. If the sprout survives, maybe I’ll take cuttings for all of the butterfly-bush impaired.
Well, that little guy needs to grow, he doesn’t want you to be unhappy!
He’s working on it. I checked on him today. Nice to see you here, Tatyana.
Hey, can I get on that butterfly bush impaired list? I killed a yellow one last year. I still feel guilty about it.
I am trying to grow a butterfly bush from the seed! I have sprouts, much smaller than yours though, only about 3 inches in height!! Anybody know how long it will take my baby bushes to be big enough to put outside?? I live near Chicago, Il- I think we are zone 5??