A favorite plant that comes into its own this time of year is the butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii). Buddleias are lovely, hardy woody perennials that are workhorses in any sunny location.
Butterfly bush comes in all shapes and sizes. Dwarf varieties max out at 2 to 3 feet, while larger ones can grow 8 to 10 feet in height.
Their leaf colors vary from chartreuse to gray-green, and their flowers range from white to pale pink, periwinkle to deep purple, and every shade in between.
Their bloom times begin in June and go through the summer; they’re not picky about soil conditions, and they require virtually no maintenance other than a hard cutting back in early spring.
And, if those attributes aren’t enough to tempt you, Buddleias bring a host of butterflies into the garden.
About five years ago, I planted a couple of butterfly bushes behind our house. Dazzling butterflies, including yellow swallowtails, black swallowtails and monarchs, come to feast on their nectar. My bushes not only survive the winter, but they regularly self-seed and produce more butterfly bushes, which I relocate to other parts of the garden.
I thought that this was a good thing — more butterfly bushes to feed more butterflies, right? But in the course of researching something else, I came across information warning that Buddleia davidii is an invasive weed, harmful to the environment, and even banned in some places, including Oregon, Washington State, England, France and New Zealand. Gasp! Was I inadvertently spreading a nuisance plant? What about all the plant nurseries and catalogs that offer Buddleias for sale? Had they not gotten the memo?
Before rushing outside and yanking out all my butterfly bushes, I called Dan Ziomek at Hadley Garden Center. He reassured me that butterfly bush is not invasive in New England, as it is in other parts of the country. First, he said, few butterfly bushes are hardy enough to survive our winters. “Not until climate change hits harder will there be a problem.” (Mine must be exceptionally hardy. I don’t remember their proper names.)
Ziomek also told me that the newer patented varieties of butterfly bush are bred to produce few, if any, seeds, so that they are sterile and will not spread, no matter how benign the climate. This is because the plant breeders want to be able to control the availability of their patented products. So, regardless of where you live, there are dozens of butterfly bush cultivars on the market that pose no invasive threat to the environment. Whew!
Ziomek said that there’s so much misleading information on the internet that he spends a lot of time “talking customers out of what they’ve read.” So let that be a warning to us all: Be a critical reader and ask questions.
My investigation did lead to some useful information about the butterfly bush. Having originated in China, Buddleia davidii is non-native. This means that it doesn’t support the wide range of native insect species that native plants do. It does feed butterflies, but unlike milkweed and other native butterfly-friendly plants, it’s not a host plant for the caterpillars that eventually become butterflies.
In choosing plants for our gardens, we should lean toward native species. But an occasional non-native plant isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as long as it’s not invasive or harmful in some other way. Butterfly bushes do provide nectar for butterflies, and that’s a good thing. Monarchs need a lot of sustenance for their fall migration to Mexico.
The main takeaway here is that despite the name “butterfly bush,” these plants play a limited role in maintaining a healthy population of butterflies. If you want to support butterflies, it’s important also to plant a variety of native, butterfly-friendly plants. But you don’t need to shun the Buddleia.
Speaking of pollinator-friendly plants, the Western Mass. Master Gardeners Association’s class on designing pollinator-friendly habitats was so successful the organization is offering the class again Monday at the Northampton Community Gardens from 6 to 7:30 p.m., rain or shine. The class is free, but the size will be limited to 20, so register early if you’d like to attend.
The gardens are filled with happy pollinators, including monarch butterflies. To register, email Larri Cochran at llcochran@gmail.com.
On Saturday you can spend the morning visiting Turkey Hill Brook Farm in Spencer, a small farm nursery in the Worcester Hills that has been landscaped for horses, wildlife habitat and organic small-scale food production since 2004.
With a variety of different habitats (open meadow, woods, pond and stream) planted with eastern natives, as well as cultivated gardens and lawns, the farm attracts many wild birds, beneficial insects and pollinators who bring life to the landscape.
Beginning at 10 a.m., you can enjoy a two-hour tour of this peaceful farm, and you can bring a picnic lunch to have in the gardens afterward.
The site is hilly, so wear good walking shoes. Your guide will be Ellen Sousa, proprietor of the farm and an author, garden coach and designer who works with homeowners, landowners and non-profit organizations to design and manage landscapes that support local biodiversity and organic food production. She is author of the book “The Green Garden: A New England Guide to Planning, Planting & Maintaining the Eco-friendly Habitat Garden.”
Meet at Turkey Hill Brook Farm, 88 Wire Village Road, Spencer. Pre-registration required. Go to: Towerhillbg.org.
Kestrel Trust has opened a new Nature Retreat at the Greenberg Forest Conservation Area in Westhampton. On Saturday, from 9 to 11 a.m., you can spend time there with Robert Jonas, founder and director of The Empty Bell, a contemplative nature retreat in Northampton.
Jonas will lead a quiet meditation sharing the basic principles of mindfulness, which can reduce stress, soothe the mind and relax the body. RSVP is required. Space is limited to 20 participants. Suggested contribution is $5 to 15.
To register, go to kestreltrust.org. The meeting location will be provided on registration. Rain date: Aug. 5.
Mickey Rathbun can be reached at foxglover8@gmail.com.