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Royal Red Butterfly Bush

The Royal Red butterfly bush is more purple than red, but the bright flowers on this bush make it spectacular.

Flowers bloom from midsummer on into early fall. Growth is vigorous. This plant attracts butterflies, bees and hummingbirds in great numbers. This deciduous shrub is easy to grow.

Its fragrant honey scented flowers make it an attractive plant to have around sitting areas or pathways. This plant is resistant to deer and many insects.

The flowers are great additions to cut flower arrangements. The green leaves act as a backdrop to the showy blossoms. Growing as tall as 6 or 7 feet, butterfly bushes need a good amount of room.

Landscaping Ideas

The Royal Red butterfly bush looks great in an informal cottage garden. Its graceful tall branches add vertical interest and structure to the garden.

This plant looks best with others that either lie in the same color palette of pinks and purples, or you could go for contrast and plant yellow, white or orange flowers around it.

Old fashioned roses, coreopsis, milkweed, mallow and other old time favorites make great companion plantings. This plant works well along a fence or as a border.

Planting and Care of Butterfly Bush

Plant this butterfly bush in full sun for the best results, though it will tolerate a little shade. Water the plant regularly to establish a solid root system. Once established, the butterfly bush does well on little water.

To control the plant, pruning can be done once flowering has finished or in early spring before new growth begins. The plant grows rapidly, so it comes back even better after pruning.

For continued blooming, deadhead all spent flowers throughout the blooming season. The Royal Red butterfly bush is easy to grow, and may surprise you with lots of volunteer seedlings after a while. In some areas they are considered invasive. Volunteers are often not the same as the "parent" plant.

It grows well in areas that have been disturbed by development or disasters. Butterfly bushes are generally resistant to both deer and insects.