Best Garden on the Web

Butterfly bush has many qualities, such as a beautiful fragrance, long flowering season, and attractive appearance that all recommend it. In addition, it will bring many butterflies and other nectar feeding insects to your yard for months on end. Once established, butterfly bush can even tolerate drought. In Iowa, butterfly bush does die to the ground in winter (so it can't reach the larger heights of 12 feet), but comes back in the spring from the root. Since Iowa's Zone 5 is the uppermost end of the plant's cold tolerance, winter mulching is important to keep the plant alive during particularly cold spells. If you have been searching for a shrub that will reward you all season long with beauty and butterflies, look no further than butterfly bush!

Please note that the Zones listed above are USDA Hardiness Zones and are only given as a rough indication of whether a plant will grow and thrive in your area. Temperature variations and unusual weather conditions can affect plant survival. To assist plant survival during the winter, you may wish to place mulch over the areas in question or plant the flowers in an area away from walls or cement. Additionally, digging up bulbs and roots to overwinter indoors may be preferrable to keeping them in the ground.