Identification

• Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) grows throughout most of the U.S. In the North, it dies back in the winter but resumes growth in the spring. In the South, this plant quickly grows 10 feet high or more and can become weedy. Severe pruning encourages new blooms and controls growth. Butterfly bush is often planted to attract butterflies, but it attracts other beneficial insects, including bees, to the garden. The spikes of purple, white, blue, red or orange flowers have a fragrant smell and appealing nectar.
  
  

Benefits

• Many plants, such as berries, vegetables, orchard fruits and melons, require pollination by bees to produce fruit. Planting butterfly bush in your yard attracts bees and can aid in pollinating crops. Butterfly bush also attracts lady bugs, which feed on aphids and leafhoppers, reducing the need for pesticides.
  
  

Planting Location

• Bees are very active around a flowering butterfly bush, especially on clear, warm mornings. Avoid planting butterfly bush in an area with heavy foot traffic, such as near the entryway of the house. Instead, enjoy the plant at the back of a perennial bed where the bees won't create a nuisance.
  
  

Caution

• Pesticide use can easily harm butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. Avoid spraying butterfly bushes or nearby plants with pesticides that may kill beneficial insects and do more harm than good. Instead, spray the plants with a stream of water to remove aphids and leafhoppers and handpick Japanese beetles.