How to Plant Butterfly Bush Seeds

You can grow butterfly bushes by sowing their seeds in pots.

Also known as Buddleia davidii the butterfly bush thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Native to China, the butterfly bush prefers USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9, where the winter temperatures do not fall below -20 degrees F in the winter. As its name suggests, butterfly bush is a butterfly favorite, and it grows to heights between 4 and 5 feet with an equal spread. The attractive flowers come in a variety of colors including purple, white, blue, red, pink, yellow and maroon. You can grow butterfly bushes by sowing their seeds in pots. Later, you can transfer the bushes to your outdoor garden in the spring.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic baggie
• Damp peat moss
• 4-inch pots
• Sterile potting soil
• Spray bottle of water
• Pitchfork
• Soil testing kit
• Peat moss or lime
• Compost
• Mulch
• Soaker hose

Instructions

Stratification and Germination

1. Stratify (provide a cold spell for) the butterfly bush seeds before planting. Fill a plastic baggie with damp peat moss and drop the butterfly bush seeds into the baggie. Seal the baggie, give it a quick shake and place it in your refrigerator for four weeks.

2. Fill 4-inch pots with sterile potting soil. Deposit one seed into each pot of soil, pushing the seeds down 1 inch. Mist the soil lightly with a spray bottle of water.

3. Place the pots in an area that receives bright, indirect sunlight, while maintaining a temperature of 75 degrees F. Keep the soil moist at all times during the germination period, which usually takes 20 to 30 days. Transplant the butterfly bush plants outdoors in the spring.

Transplanting

1. Prepare the soil for planting after the final spring thaw. Breakup large chunks of earth with a pitchfork. Butterfly bushes prefer soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. Test the soil before planting using a soil testing kit purchased from a garden center.

2. Amend the soil with peat moss if the test reveals a pH above 7.0 or add lime if the pH is below 6.5. Follow the instructions listed on the amendment packaging for allocation amounts. Mix in a 4-inch layer of compost for further nutrition.

3. Dig holes for the butterfly bush plants the same height and width as their containers. Space the holes 4 to 6 feet apart.

4. Apply a layer of straw or bark chip mulch around the butterfly bushes to prevent weed growth and help with drainage.

5. Water the butterfly bushes at a rate of 1 inch of water per week, keeping the soil moist at a depth of 1 inch at all times. Use a soaker hose for deep watering.

Tips & Warnings

• Feed the butterfly bushes a diet of 20-20-20 fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer according to label instructions.

• You can also sow butterfly bush seeds directly into the soil. However, there is no way to tell whether the seeds will grow. Starting the plants indoors and planting them outdoors in the spring may yield plants that are more viable. Also, if you start your butterfly bush seeds indoors, you will not have to worry about hungry rodents digging them up.

• Do not over water the butterfly bush seeds after you plant them in the potting soil. A light misting is all that is necessary. Butterfly bush seeds cannot thrive in soaked soil and will fail to germinate.

References

• Old Fashioned Living: Butterfly Bushes: Grow Them and They Will Come
• MarthaStewart.com: Butterfly Bush: Buddleia Davidii Nanho Purple

Resources

• Thompson & Morgan: Buddleja Davidii Mixed