PlantFiles: Asian Butterfly Bush, White Butterfly Bush, Winter Lilac
Buddleja asiatica

A native of Eastern Asia, this Butterfly Bush is one of the largest. It can be pruned very hard and responds well to this treatment. If they are not pruned they tend to get quite large and rather leggy after several seasons. Younger unpruned plants produce flowers sooner in the growing season since it flowers on new growth. It is a moderately succulent caned, large, arching shrub. They are adaptable to a large range of water needs. The flowers are very fragrant. They can be kept blooming by deadheading the spent flowers. The flowers do not readily drop on their own. .

This excerpt was taken from Mountain Valley Growers:

"The Winter Flowering Lilac, Buddleia asiatica, is not the most attractive of the Butterfly Bushes. It can reach 12 feet or more and has widely spaced leaves that often curl or hang down. It blooms in late winter and early spring and often looks like it is all flowers and no leaves at all. When the flowers are finished the shrub tends to look dead. Thankfully, this is the time for pruning. Unlike, the more common Buddleia davidiis, B. asiatica blooms on year old wood. Soon new bright green leaves with felty white undersides will grow, but the shrub will remain without flowers the rest of the season. While the flowers of this Buddleia may not rival the appearance of more common Buddleias, the fragrance more than makes up for it. The B. daviddiis do have a luscious honey aroma, but it doesn't waft through the air with the heavenly scent of Freesias like Buddleia asiatica.

Because Buddleia asiatica makes its new growth late in spring, plants are usually only available later in summer or fall.

Native to Asia, this warm weather Butterfly Bush has naturalized itself, probably spread by wind, on moist lava beds in Hawaii. Amazingly, they grow and thrive, but don't get as tall as they would in an irrigated garden."

I have had two butterfly bushes. One was in full sun and one was partially shaded. The full sun bush is BIG and has been full of blooms for the two years that I have had it. The beautiful butterflies who feed on its nectar have been a joy to watch. My husband has seen hummingbirds at it also. I haven't but I don't doubt his word I just haven't been as lucky. I did not cut it back this fall. I like looking out and seeing it there in my little garden that I made for it and some hostas. The partially shaded plant has not bloomed as profusely, but I do not want to move it for fear I will kill it.

This plant has been in the ground here in Texas (7b) and first two years were slow. This year BOOM! 5 feet tall and eight feet wide with tons of blooms. Attractive plant - in full sun, maybe 10% shaded by a nearby live-oak. It is in topsoil, but not what I consider to be excessive; the rest is this miserable Texas clay

Boy does it get big. I am training mine to grow as a standard and the canopy is taking over. Next fall I might move it to a place where it can grow to its heart's content. So beware, plant it where it has room to grow.

Delicious fragrance.