Should You Plant a Butterfly Bush? The Benefits and the Drawbacks

Few plants spark as much debate as the butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii). Garden centers sell it for its showy blooms and its promise to draw in butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. On the surface, it feels like the ultimate win-win: beauty for us, deer proof, and nectar for pollinators. But dig a little deeper, and the …

The Great Butterfly Bush Debate

Butterfly Bush, Buddleia davidii, has been getting a lot of bashing lately from garden writers, ecologists, and conservationists. Attacked from all sides by master gardeners and other garden professionals, I am sticking to my guns on the benefits and pleasures of planting it.