What to know about butterfly bush

Butterfly bush is a fast-growing shrub with long spikes of pink to purple flowers. Its scientific name, Buddleia (or Buddleja) davidii, is named after the Rev. Adam Buddle, a 17th-century English botanist and rector.

The flowers will attract bees and butterflies to your garden. It’s wonderful to see the swallowtail butterfly alight on the flowers. This multi-stemmed shrub should be grown in full sun and well-draining soil with moderate water. Avoid fertilizing to encourage flowering over new vegetative growth. Prune severely in winter or early spring.

Recently, there has been some concern that butterfly bush is invasive, crowding out our California natives. The group California Invasive Plant Council gives rankings to invasive plants. Butterfly bush is only given a “watch” ranking.

— katie martin, uc marin master gardener