Plant of the Week: PUGSTER® Amethyst Butterfly Bush

Full-sized flowers on a petite plant? That’s what you get with the Pugster® Buddleia. Natalie has posted about Pugster® Blue and Pinker already, but I have another one to show you. Pugster® Amethyst.

Pugster® Amethyst has spectacular extra-large cool purple flowers on a dwarf frame.

There are five plants in the Pugster® Buddleia series: Blue, Periwinkle, Pinker, White, and Amethyst. All are hardy to USDA Zone 5 and grow about 2′ tall and wide. They are strong rebloomers and, like other Buddleia, will do best in full sun.

The Butterfly Bush for Northern Climates

Exceptionally thick, sturdy stems give Pugster® Buddleia superior winter hardiness and make them a good choice for colder climates. Cold, wet winters are really hard on butterfly bush, and the thicker stems are better able to live through cold and snowy winters than the thin stems of other varieties. 

In the northern parts of its range, butterfly bush may die back to the ground and perform more like a perennial than a flowering shrub. We recommend early season rather than fall planting in these areas. Cutting it back in later winter will help to maintain a nice full habit. Pugster® Buddleia have a nice bushy habit and dense branching, so it is a good-looking plant when others can be rangy.

Deadheading and Pruning Pugster® Butterfly Bush

Deadheading Pugster® butterfly bush is not required for a continuous bloom, but if you prefer a tidier look, check out this blog by Kristina for tips to deadhead a butterfly bush.

You can also check out the video below, where Kristina teaches you how to prune a Pugster® butterfly bush.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Have a fun and safe weekend, and I will be back with another shrub next week.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *