Buddelia Davdii

Peach2842 · Sep 25, 2010

Hello,

I believe I have an English Butterfly Purple Emperor Butterfly Bush in my garden whcih is really overgrown. It is currently standing at approx 10 feet tall and is very wide. The majority of bloom at the moment is a dark colour with the odd spot of purple toward the very top and bottom.

What is the best way to trim this shrub without doing any damage? The branches are very thick so I think I may need to get a saw?

Any help and suggestions is much apprecaited :luv:

Marley Farley · Sep 25, 2010

Hi Peach... Sounds like it needs a very drastic pruning.. They can take it too.. This is a very good link that gives you good info on it... I cut mine to ground level each year & get fantastic flowers & it is now nearly 20yrs old.. So don't be frightened of it... :wink::D

Pruning Buddleias Buddleia davidii are the popular garden Butterfly Bushes.
They need to be pruned at the right time. We take you through the steps of pruning your Buddleia and explain why spring is the best time to prune.
This section is for the Buddleia davidii types only.
How to prune, and when to prune Buddleia davidii Butterfly bushes.This group of shrubs flower on new growth made in the current year, so it is to your advantage to prune the shrub well to produce many flowering shoots.
The pruning should take place early in the spring - before growth starts proper. Prune the Buddleia down to around 30cm (12 in) from ground level at this time. There may already be sprouting shoots on the Buddleia in a mild spring. No matter - Prune it back hard. This will make the Butterfly Bush grow many new arching branches, that will have larger flowers than if it had not been pruned.
As well as this hard prune in the spring, it is also beneficial to prune off all the dead and faded flowers once the main flowering season is over. This will be of benefit to the plant - not having to produce seeds on the old flowers - and it will bloom again later on. Take off all of the dead flowers regularly, and your Buddleia will flower until well into the autumn.
Once you have finished pruning your Buddleia, you should end up with a cluster of stems no longer than 30cms.
For Buddleia bushes at the back of a large border, you can perhaps just cut back to around 60cm each year. This will have the advantage of the flowering stems starting higher up and you will be able to plant other shrubs and perennials under or near to the base. The arching stems of the butterfly bush will then be seen higher up at the back of the border.
[align=center]
Time to prune when Forsythia and Daffs are out in flower.[/align]
[align=center]
A pair of sharp loppers may be better
for the larger branches on Buddleia [/align]
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It is nicer work on a sunny day![/align]
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This is what the 'short back and sides' should look like when finished. (Be brave!)[/align]
Click to expand...

andrewh · Sep 25, 2010

They are virtually indestructible. Just hack it right down and watch it re-grow!

Rob Jones · Sep 25, 2010

Very easy to grow new plants from cuttings too...

Alice · Sep 25, 2010

And they seed about the place - in the gutters, in the chimney cans and anywhere else a seed can lend.
But I like them.

Aesculus · Sep 26, 2010

Alice said:
And they seed about the place - in the gutters, in the chimney cans and anywhere else a seed can lend.
But I like them.
Click to expand...

agreed, there's one growing at the top of a church spire in Reading:hehe:

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Buddelia Davdii

Peach2842 Apprentice Gardener

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Buddelia Davdii

Peach2842 Apprentice Gardener

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andrewh Gardener

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Aesculus Bureaucrat 34 (Admin)

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