I bought one butterfly plant about 8 years ago. I loved it! It grew to a height of 18 to 20 inches and bloomed pinkish-purplish flowers all Summer and until the first frost. Well, the next year I waited to see if it would come back after Winter and it did...bigger and fuller than the first year!
So I did some research...butterfly plant is easily propagated! I make 10 inch cuttings of the soft woody stems in early Fall while the daytime temperatures are in the mid to high 60's and the nighttime temps are no lower than 40. I dip the cuttings in water, then rooting hormone and stick 'em about 4 inches deep into a pot of soil or directly into a waiting flower bed. I fill up the pot of soil or area in the garden with the stems. In a day or two you'll think they have died because all the leaves have fallen off...but be patient...let these cuttings over-Winter....they will be concentrating on their root system. You can leave the pots outside. They will look like stems sticking out of the soil.
When Springtime comes you'll see exactly what is in the first photo! These have been growing for about 7 days.
Now, I've got Butterfly plants all around my flower gardens and all Summer long we have butterflies and beautiful blooms!
The photos below are actually the MaMa's of the cuttings in the first photo! So don't be afraid...try it yourself...it's easy, fun and over the years you have so many more beautiful plants! Sometimes I gift them to friends and family but I always teach them how to propagate them!
My Butterfly plants love the sun, moderate water and dead heading the blooms allows the plant to thicken up nicely. I have some planted in morning sunny areas with complete afternoon shade and they do equally as well.
I hope you enjoyed this post, if you have any questions please let me know.
Oh I have one,I just bought last year.I trimmed it up a bit recently.Its purple and gorgeous.I would say its about 4 ft tall now.A few years back I pruned the best looking one I ever had down to the ground.Thinking of course that it would come back.It never did.Oh I was so sad it was gorgeous.So this one I have now Im just taking little steps at a time with it. lol,Im hoping our really cold and snowy winter this year didnt harm it.
ReplyDeleteI also have a Rose of sharon,which is soo tiny but has tons and I mean tons of buds on it this year.But it didnt grow and inch at all.Im anxious to see how it looks in bloom.
Happy Weekend!
Propagate???? I'd be happy if I could get one to just live through the summer. The only time I had one to do wonderful was when I planted over the septic line at our country house (don't get excited...it was a tiny house). That thing grew like crazy and was well over 10' by summer's end, but that's just a fond memory now!
ReplyDeleteYou really should go visit Tootsie Time off my sidebar. She's a gardener and a half who loves to start all her plants.
Debbie
Dear Blog Friends,
ReplyDeleteI think this plant is a Butterfly Plant...sorry...shows you that I'm a self taught gardener...duh...but my BUTTERFLY PLANT never gets taller than 24 inches and that includes the tippy top of the flowers.
I've corrected the title to reflect "plant" not "bush"....cause a Butterfly Bush gets huge...not mine I struggled with one for 2 years and gave up...not to worry it passed on to a better world...probably grateful for peace at last...I think I over loved it!
Smile
Sandy
I do have a butterfly bush... it has never really done too well, but I am afraid to move it. Looks like your "plants" are going to have iris' for company soon. would love to see them when they bloom. hint:)
ReplyDeleteGwen