Butterfly bush
Buddleja davidii
Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) is a shrub suited to the Colorado Front Range. It matures to about 5–8 ft tall and 5–8 ft wide, fast-growing, needs low to medium water, and prefers full sun. Butterfly + pollinator magnet. Often top-kills here, regrows from base.
On the CSU listlow to medium water5–8 ft tall and 5–8 ft wideXeric / water-wiseDeer-resistant
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At a glance
- Botanical name
- Buddleja davidii
- Variety / cultivar
- 'Pink Delight', 'Black Knight', 'Miss Molly'
- Type
- Shrub
- Mature size
- 5–8 ft tall and 5–8 ft wide
- Planting spacing
- ~8 ft apart (6 ft for a hedge/screen)
- Bloom length
- Long (several weeks)
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5–9
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Water needs
- low to medium water
- Sun
- Best in full sun.
- Colorado native
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Soil
- loam, sandy
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Hail tolerance
- moderate
- Wind tolerance
- moderate
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
- Firewise (defensible space)
- Zone 3 only (site it well away from structures)
- Bloom color
- purple, pink, white
- Bloom time
- mid summer, late summer, early fall
- Pollinator value
- high
Wildlife & ecology
- Pollinator value
- high
- Deer
- Generally deer-resistant
Planting & establishment
Blooms on new wood, cut back hard each spring. Often dies to ground in our winters; treat as a herbaceous perennial in zone 5.
- Pruning: hard (rejuvenation).
Frequently asked questions
- Is Butterfly bush good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes, Butterfly bush is a well-suited shrub for Colorado's Front Range.
- How big does Butterfly bush get?
- It matures to about 5–8 ft tall and 5–8 ft wide.
- How far apart do I plant Butterfly bush?
- Space Butterfly bush about 8 ft apart for a full, natural form, or about 6 ft apart for a faster hedge or screen.
- Is Butterfly bush hardy on the Front Range?
- Butterfly bush is hardy in USDA 5–9. The Colorado Front Range spans roughly USDA 4b–6a, so it is at its cold edge here. Site it in a warm microclimate and protect young plants.
- How much water does Butterfly bush need?
- It needs low to medium water once established.
- How fast does Butterfly bush grow?
- Butterfly bush is a fast-growing shrub. Growth rate depends on water and site conditions on the Front Range.
- Is Butterfly bush native to Colorado?
- No. It is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.
- Is Butterfly bush deer-resistant?
- Butterfly bush is generally considered deer-resistant, though no plant is deer-proof when browse pressure is high.
- Is Butterfly bush a good firewise plant near the house?
- Butterfly bush is suitable in defensible-space zone 3 only, site it well away from structures. This is general suitability guidance based on CSU Extension firewise plant lists, not a guarantee that any plant won't burn, a well-irrigated, well-maintained plant is the goal. Follow CSU Extension defensible-space guidance and check with your local fire district before planting in the wildland-urban interface.
- How long does Butterfly bush bloom?
- Butterfly bush blooms for several weeks, a long-season performer on the Front Range. Bloom timing shifts a week or two with elevation and spring weather.
