The White Profusion Butterfly Bush

Butterfly bushes (Buddleia davidii) are perennial shrubs hardy to USDA hardiness zone 5 and native to China. They attract butterflies and have a light, lilac-like fragrance. White profusion is a variety of butterfly bush covered in white bloom spikes.

Benefits

• Each flowering spike of white profusion butterfly bush can reach 8 inches long. The bush can become so densely covered in these blooms that the foliage is hard to spy underneath. Since the blooms are white, they may attract night-feeders such as Io or luna moths. White profusion tends to be hardier than other butterfly bush cultivars.

Growing Tips

• Well-drained soils are a must for all butterfly bushes. Even though white profusion is hardier, it still benefits from a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch before winter to protect the roots. Full sun encourages profuse blooming. Plant in a spot protected from high winds to give browsing butterflies leisure to sip the nectar. Cut dead top-growth back to 1 foot above ground before new spring growth.

Design Tips

• Include white profusion butterfly bush in your moon garden along with moon flowers (Ipomoea alba) and night-blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum) because the white spikes show up so well in moonlight. Incorporate plants with dark purple leaves, such as purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) or dark-leaved coleus (Solenostemon spp.) near white profusion for an eye-catching display.