hello
yes. you want to deadhead, and I wait till late winter or early spring to cut them back, I don't know why I just do and it seems to be working fine.
I love my butterfly bushes, I think they are my fav flower in the yard.
enjoy michelle

Thanks, Michelle. I've been doing some very light deadheading, but now I need to get out there and get to work.

I live in Zone 5 (south of Indianapolis) so how far do I cut back next spring?

I cut mine back to about a foot in the spring.

Wait until they begin to leaf out in the spring....I wait until the new growth is about a foot tall, then cut the old back to meet it when I pinch the new growth.