Butterfly Bush Varieties offer a wealth of options for garden enthusiasts seeking to enhance their outdoor spaces. Known scientifically as Buddleja davidii, these deciduous shrubs are prized for their arching flowers that bloom in the summer, introducing structure, fragrance, and vibrant hues to the landscape.
Beyond their aesthetic appeal, butterfly bush varieties boast practical benefits, attracting pollinators, maintaining a long-lasting bloom season, and emitting a deer-repelling scent. With a diverse array of cultivars available, each with its own unique characteristics, choosing the right Butterfly Bush Variety allows for personalized landscaping.
Whether planted in the ground or in containers, these varieties promise to elevate your garden with their beauty and functionality.
Different Butterfly Bush Varieties
Glass Slippers
Glass Slippers is a magnificent figure straight out of a fairy tale, measuring three feet high by five feet broad. Its periwinkle blue blooms give your yard a magical touch while evoking Cinderella’s robe. Silver foliage creates a subtle contrast that is perfect for landscapes receiving full sun.
It grows wide and low, making it ideal for planting behind windows along foundations. This guarantees a lovely glimpse of the pretty blooms without getting in the way of your vision. “Glass Slippers,” which are appropriate for hardiness zones 5 through 10, add a mystical and refined presence to your outdoor area.
Honeycomb
The beautiful shrub known as “Honeycomb” is 4-5 feet tall and 4-5 feet broad. It has honey-colored flowers with orange eyes that are light orange in tone. Maintaining regular deadheading prolongs the bloom period, potentially reaching the initial frost.
The fragrant, honey-scented perfume and the yellow flowers attract butterflies. ‘Honeycomb’ adds visual and aromatic delight to your garden and is best planted in sunny places with enough room to support its height. Perfect for hardiness zones 5 through 9, it’s a wonderful addition for lovers of the outdoors.
Hot Raspberry
The adaptable “Hot Raspberry” shrub grows to be 3 feet broad and 3 feet tall. It gives your yard a breathtaking touch with its vivid magenta blossoms and striking silver leaves. Beginning as purple tight buds, the blooms open up into full bloom in the early summer and continue until the fall. ‘Hot Raspberry’ is a refreshing change of pace and is ideal for big containers or perennial gardens.
Additionally, you can cut off the blooms and foliage to add beautiful accents to your arrangements and bouquets. Fit for hardiness zones 5 through 9, it’s a striking option for your outdoor area.
InSpired Pink
InSpired Pink” is a lovely option for cottage-style gardens, with its long, gorgeous flowers that have orange eyes and a delicate pink hue. At four to six feet tall and wide, this noninvasive species is a great statement plant or a beautiful addition to full sun perennial gardens or pots.
The fragrant and long-blooming flowers offer plenty of opportunity for summer bouquets or beautiful arrangements. Because of its vase form and arching branches, ‘InSpired Pink’ looks exquisite whether used as a mass planting for a hedge or privacy screen. Ideal for hardiness zones 5 through 9.
Ivory
“Ivory” is a graceful choice for your landscape, with a height and width of 3–4 feet. Its crisp white flowers stand strong and straight, and it has a good upright growth habit. It blooms from late spring to fall. ‘Ivory’ is perfect for containers and guarantees beauty that lasts the entire growing season.
It lends elegance to any outdoor area whether used as a foundation planting or a stand-alone specimen. Think about utilizing it to create a classic and quaint backdrop for perennial gardens. ‘Ivory’ is a flexible option for a variety of garden settings and is suitable for hardiness zones 5 through 9.
Lilac Cascade
Unlike many other types that flower upward or outward, “Lilac Cascade” distinguishes out for its distinctive weeping behavior. This shrub, which reaches 6 feet in width and 5 to 6 feet in height, has lovely light purple flowers that resemble wisteria. The huge, closely spaced flowers, which can grow to a maximum length of 18 inches, make an eye-catching show.
For maximum effect and to guarantee that its cascading flower splendor is not overlooked, plant ‘Lilac Cascade’ in a prominent spot, possibly beside to a lamp post or doorway. It brings a touch of refinement to your environment and is appropriate for full sun and hardiness zones 5–10.
Miss Molly
‘Miss Molly’s’ charming wine-colored blossoms make her a great addition to any garden. This little shrub, which is 4-5 feet tall and wide and blooms from late spring until the first frost, can be used in a variety of garden settings. Whether used as a foundation plant or a privacy hedge, ‘Miss Molly’ keeps a tidy growth pattern without becoming out of control.
It is a worry-free choice for gardeners who want to improve their outdoor area because it is a noninvasive type. ‘Miss Molly’ adds brilliant color and structure to your landscape and is appropriate for hardiness zones 5–9.
Miss Pearl
With her height and width of 4-5 feet, “Miss Pearl” is a perfect addition to any landscape. It blends in perfectly with perennial gardens and cottage foundation landscapes because it is a benign species. Covered in pure white blossoms that smell strongly of honey, ‘Miss Pearl’ blooms nonstop without needing to be deadheaded, making for an impressive display throughout the growing season. Its attractive silver-green leaves, which persist all season, add to its appeal.
‘Miss Pearl’ draws butterflies and lends a sense of elegance to your outdoor space, whether it is utilized as a privacy hedge or strewn in containers across your yard. Hardiness zones 5 through 9 may accommodate it, making it a delightful and adaptable option for gardeners.
Pink Delight
The popular pink blooming shrub “Pink Delight” grows to be 6–8 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide. Covered in clusters of real pink flowers, it is a sight to behold from summer to October. ‘Pink Delight’ is a great choice for expansive perennial gardens or as a hedge because of its strikingly huge flower cones, some of which are up to 15 inches long.
It can die back to the ground in Zone 5, but don’t worry—it will rise up stronger than ever in the spring. ‘Pink Delight’ is a gorgeous and hardy option for hardiness zones 5–9 that gives your landscape a hint of elegance.
Pink Micro Chip
“Pink Micro Chip,” at under 2 feet tall and broad, is a great option for people with limited room. This little mounded plant, with its gorgeous orchid-pink flowers, nestles comfortably into perennial gardens. It blooms earlier than other butterfly bushes since it is a member of the ‘Lo and Behold’ series.
‘Pink Micro Chip’ is a wonderful addition to your perennial garden or a border plant that provides a touch of beauty without taking over your space. It enhances the early beauty of your garden landscape and is appropriate for hardiness zones 5–9.
Prince Charming
With its medium-sized, mounded appearance and fiery pink flowers, ‘Prince Charming’ is a striking addition to any garden. These vivid pink blossoms, which bloom from the lowest branches to the highest, can grow up to ten inches in length and give your landscape a tasteful drama.
Consider pairing ‘Prince Charming’ with annuals or perennials with darker leaves for a dramatic contrast that will accentuate the vibrant pink tones of this shrub. It adds a vibrant and enchanting presence to your outdoor environment and is suitable for hardiness zones 5–9.
Sangria
‘Sangria’ is an early bloomer that will grace your garden with its purplish-red flowers from late spring through October, saving you the trouble of deadheading. At 3–4 feet tall and broad, it is a clean and little alternative that blends in perfectly with sunny garden areas.
If you have a lot of red flowers in your yard, consider introducing ‘Sangria’ to give some depth and vitality to your color scheme. ‘Sangria’ is suitable for hardiness zones 5–10 and provides long-lasting beauty without the trouble of ongoing care.
Sky Blue
At a well-balanced height and width of three to five feet, “Sky Blue” stands out as a multipurpose butterfly bush. Its purplish blossoms mix in perfectly with any color scheme in the garden. ‘Sky Blue’ has a lovely arching habit and blossoms from mid-summer into autumn. But because it can become invasive, it’s imperative to remove wasted blossoms as soon as possible.
Make sure you practice responsible gardening by finding out if butterfly bushes are invasive in your area before you plant. “Sky Blue,” which brings a touch of elegance to your garden landscape, is suitable for hardiness zones 5–9.
Asian Moon
Asian Moon’ is a spectacular flowering shrub, boasting deep purple blossoms and a robust size of 5-7 feet in height and width. Ideal for full sun exposure, this beauty thrives in hardiness zones 5-10. Perfect as a garden anchor or privacy screen, its honey-scented blooms add joy to summer nights.
Black Knight
‘Black Knight’ is distinguished by its eye-catching contrast of little yellow or orange eyes set in dark purple blooms. This full-sun shrub grows to a height of 8 to 9 feet and a width of 4 to 6 feet. Hardiness zones 5 to 9 are ideal for it. The flowers are not only aesthetically pleasing but also have a pleasant scent, which makes them a great addition close to your favorite hangout. ‘Black Knight’ is a resilient and hardy plant that will provide years of beauty to your yard.
Blue Chip Jr.
With vivid violet-blue blooms, “Blue Chip Jr.” is the endearing dwarf counterpart of its larger counterpart. With its height and width of 2-2 ½ feet, it provides an earlier flowering time that prolongs the splendor of your landscape. Because of the way the soft, silvery leaves contrasts with the blooms, it’s a great plant to add to containers or use as a border plant along patios or walkways. ‘Blue Chip Jr.’ is a bold and attractive addition to your garden, non-invasive, and suitable for hardiness zones 5–9.
Flutterby Grande Vanilla Nectar
The butterfly bush variety ‘Flutterby Grande Vanilla Nectar’ is a delicate and refined choice with its creamy-colored blooms arranged atop a little shrub that grows to a height and width of 4-6 feet. Being a member of the Flutterby collection guarantees a non-invasive and seed-free addition to your landscape.
The neutral and milky tones of ‘Vanilla Nectar’ integrate perfectly with any garden setting, whether used as a backdrop in a perennial garden or as a hedge, giving your outdoor space a sophisticated touch. Hardiness zones 5–9 include it, making it a flexible option for gardeners looking for a more muted color scheme.
Flutterby Petite Snow White
At about 2-2 ½ feet tall and broad, ‘Flutterby Petite Snow White’ lives up to its name with its pristine white blossoms and thin green foliage. With its four-inch-long spiky blossoms, this shrub has a subtle elegance. Perfect for bulk planting along patios or sidewalks so that the intricate details of the blossoms are completely displayed. It’s also appropriate for containers because of its compact design.
‘Snow White’ is a seedless cultivar that will bring elegance and appeal to your garden by promising constant blooming all summer long. Ideal for hardiness zones 5 through 9.
Pugster White
“Pugster White” is a little butterfly bush with enormous, dense blossoms that is just 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Deadheading is not necessary for the clean white blooms, and the robust stems guarantee a robust recurrence in the spring. With its huge blossoms and short height, ‘Pugster White’ is perfect for borders or perennial gardens, but it also turns containers into artistic pieces.
This little powerhouse, which is suitable for hardiness zones 5 through 9, adds grace and beauty to container displays as well as small gardens.
Queen of Hearts
The compact shrub “Queen of Hearts” boasts remarkable ten-inch-long rich purple flowers that are a floral joy. This shrub is an exception to the rule, with lovely reddish-purple blossoms that cover the entire shrub from top to bottom throughout the summer and into the fall, accompanied by tiny secondary flowers.
Spreading more widely than it is tall, ‘Queen of Hearts’ is a terrific choice for filling bigger garden spaces with a pop of color and beautiful flowers. It’s a must-have for lovers of flowers and is suitable for hardiness zones 5–10.
Royal Red
Among purple flowering kinds, ‘Red Royal’ stands out with its unique violet-purple flowers that give your summertime gardens a brilliant look. With its rather untamed growth habit, this bigger shrub is 6–8 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide. It provides a great backdrop for shorter decorative grasses and other more structured perennials.
This time-tested classic is prized for its consistency and quick growth, which provide your landscape a splash of color and drama. For gardeners, ‘Royal Red’ is a dependable and eye-catching option that is appropriate for hardiness zones 5–9.
