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Managing Butterfly Bush Size: Pruning Limits and Alternatives

Butterfly bush (Buddleia) grows 10+ feet if unpruned. Hard pruning to 8 inches yields 6-foot regrowth in one season. Constant pruning removes flower buds. Dwarf 'Nanho' series still reach 6 feet.

Realistic Options

Move companion plants to sunnier locations.
Relocate the butterfly bush to a space where its size is acceptable.
Accept its natural vigor — it cannot be kept small and floriferous.

About Gardening: New Butterfly Bush Devoured? Check for Pests and Fertilizer Timing; Pruning Your Summer-Blooming Hydrangea (Snowball Bush): Timing and Technique; Rejuvenating Leggy Butterfly Bush with Hard Pruning; Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) Pruning: Timing Is Everything; When and How to Prune Butterfly Bushes for Optimal Blooms; Diagnosing Butterfly Bush Decline: Mites vs. Transplant Shock; Butterfly Bush Pruning: Dormant Season Guide for Maximum Blooms; Pruning Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) Safely; Pruning Loropetalum: Know Your Cultivar First; Pruning Butterfly Bush After a Hard Freeze: How Low to Go?

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