Sorry, I see now it was a few days after fertilizing that it started to look bad. But answers to the other questions might help.

Gail

I planted it the end of April, beginning of March, I think. We had a warm spell and I was more than ready for spring.. lol I didn't use any fertilizer on it when I planted it, just dug a nice sized hole and put some compost in the bottom and mixed it up. It was growing just fine all though it seemed to be a bit slower then the other plants in the bed... It just wasn't getting as big as I expected, as soon as I had wished... lol That's why I put the Miracle Grow on it, to help it along...

As soon as I had all the other perennials in the bed I put down a two inch layer of partially decomposed leaves, a week or two later I added some red cedar wood shavings ( small animal bedding ) to add a little color the area...

I've had very little weeds and pulled them up as soon as I spotted them. Between all the rainy days we've had I've only watered it when the wood chips were dry and always in the morning.

I can't think of anything else to add, other than my middle name is Murphy. ( Mruphy's Law.. ) LOL

Rita Otay

Well, I'm no expert, that's for sure. But gosh... sounds like you did everything I would have done. I got 3 this spring and planted, watered well for several weeks (3 or 4), and miracle grow'd mine, too. Now I don't have them mulched, but what you used should be fine... with one exception. I've never used cedar shavings as mulch. That may not have anything to do with it, but I'd check it out. It could have been "sick" when you got it, too, since it's never performed like it should. Did you get it at a reputable place that has a guarantee? I lost 2 last year but it was because I didn't keep them watered good enough through the summer. This year, mine are doing great. Sorry I'm not much help, am I?
Gail

I really don't know much about Butterfly Bush, but I will tell you this. I bought one on sale in a half gallon container, and planted it straight into my un-amended dirt pile. Barely watered it. It started looking sickly--leaves turning yellow/brown/spotted. I read on one of these forums that they like acidic soil. I dumped some leftover coffee around it for a couple of days, and it perked up.

Maybe it needs some coffee?

Well I don't think it was sick when I bought it, looked like all new growth... As for taking it back.... $5 won't break me.. LOL I just hate seeing plants die under my care but then again I should be used to it... LOL

I'll try the coffee though...

Thanks,
Rita

My butterfly bush is struggling too. I bought it last summer for $5 and planted it. It got about 2 1/2 foot tall but I planted it in July. I too amended with compost and native soil before planting it. This spring, it started to leave out so I didn't cut it back. The neighbors have one that they never cut back, it just grows. In May, I noticed that it was growing from the roots too. By June the growth on all the existing stems stopped and the leaves looked limp. So I cut back all the stems to let the plant produce its new growth, but it looked twisted and strange. It is now July and the twisted growth is still there but new growth has taken over from the bottom of the twisted growth. It is 8 inches tall.
Two questions
1 By not cutting the stems in early spring, did I mess up?

2 I didn't take into account that the neighbors jungle of weeds trees would grow so much from last summer, last summer it got 6 hours of sun but this year, it is only getting 4 hours of sun. Would the amount of sun be a factor? (I finally called the city about their jungle, all the other neighbors encouaged me. The city said that they would not use my name unless it went to court. It is an overgrown garden with weed trees and vines. It is also home to squirrels, chipmonks, birds, and once a possum. I cut the stuff that tries to make it to our side. I have also cut a few vines that were bending the chain link fence that helps protects our property from this mess.)

Sorry, I can ramble on and on about their jungle. I try to be a nice neighbor and I was afraid that if it were cut down, the animals may want to live in my three trees.

I have a butterfly bush that I have had for about five years.I always cut it back in early spring and it growa from the bottom I tried to not cut it back but it wouldn't grow leaves on the old stems.

Rita,
It's been a couple of weeks since your initial post... is it doing any better? I got to thinking later, butterfly bushes really like warm weather. I got some in early spring this year and they didn't do much for a long time. About a month and a half after I planted them, I sprinkled miracle grow on the dirt around them (they're not in a bed, just in the yard with a depression around them to hold water) and I only watered them about every two weeks. I always made sure to water them deep, though, so the fertilizer could get down in there good. Anyway, once we started having 80-90 degree temps, they've taken off and are now about 3ft tall and blooming!
Gail

Well I haven't lost any more leaves and it appears to be holding its own but I was expecting much more growth. It's a little less than 2 feet tall... My day lillies are taller... lol I thought they were very big bushes... Perhaps it just doesn't want to be in my yard.. lol I'm not sure if I should try and transplant it or just leave it alone and see what happens...?

Rita

I bought four this spring and mine are about 2 ft and very leggy. They also had a lot of dying leaves on them at first. I didn't fertilize or anything but they are putting out a lot of flowers (of course being so leggy the flowers are drooping). I figured it was just that the people I bought them from didn't prune them back at the end of winter, it would've been hard to sell plants that were just sticks. I figure that I will prune them back in February and hopefully they will come back next year looking like they should. Of course this is my first year gardening so what do I know.

My butterfly bush seems to be growing now. It is 15 inches tall and looks like it has blooms at the very ends. I guess I will always cut it back. The twisted stems are just like old wood now. It is the side shoots from these twisted stems that took off. I guess it wants to live really bad. Next year, I will know better. We have had hardly any rain. July 4 was the third time that it rain all summer. Hurricane Dennis helped--we had rain for two days--not hard--like a slow rain. It really helped the butterfly bush (even though I was watering once a week). Should you ferterlize the butterfly bush? Anytime that I am not sure, I don't ferterlize. sometimes, I am afraid to water. I use a moister meter, I only water new plants and containers if it reads dry. With this humidity, how do you determine when to water plants that have been mulched and the meter says moist. I forgot, I also water plants that looked wilted--I figure it is a cry for help. Anyway my butterfly bush looks like it may make it after all.

My butterfly bush was almost dead. It was in a spot where it got 6 hrs. sun. I decided to move it to a spot where it gets sun all day long and it just took off growing like mad!!!!! Also when I pruned it one year it got infested with borers and that damaged it a lot.

So, Rita, is it better now? Did you transplant it or leave it there?

They actually don't get full size until about the 4th or 5th year, I think. Each year they'll get bigger and bigger. I know of some that are no telling how old because they're 8-10' tall and it would take 4 people to reach around it. You're supposed to cut it back in the spring before new growth (it sprouts back from the ground they say) but the old ones I spoke of aren't, so I don't know "what's up with that"... the 3 I have now are my first.

Thanks for asking... Nope, it has two sprays ( can't really call them branches.. lol ) that are about 2 1/2 feet high... No flowers or buds, just two sticks with leaves... I'm not really sure what I should do.... If it got a foot taller it would get plenty of sun, it wouldn't be shaded from the daylilies... LOL. If I do decide to transplant it should I do it now or wait until spring?

Rita

I bought a number of Luzula "Ruby Stiletto" grasses to border some beds. They are supposed to like full sun, which is the area I planted them, and they are watered almost everyday. The soil allows good drainage. They were doing well for about a month, and have now become brown. A few have started growing green blades again, but most of them are doing nothing. When they first began growing, they were a rich green with ruby-red tips. Has anyone had experiences with ornamental grasses?

About the butterfly bush- didn't you start out by saying it was a small plant in a box from a big store? Was it bare root?

Even if not- it's a small plant in it's first year- cut it some slack!

Thanks creatrix... I didn't stop to think about that... I'll wait and see what happens next year... I'm getting old and wanted instant gratification... LOL

Rita

I just loved reading all the messages (though several years old) regarding your unhappy butterfly bushes. I bought a beautiful specimen 3 seasons ago (don't remember the variety); the first year, small growth, no flower; second year 2 spindly branches about 15 in high, each with a lovely purple blossom..bees, butterflies..well they seemed to ignore it! Last Fall I transplanted it to a different spot, more morning and late afternoon sun. I cut back last year's small growth this spring..checking this morning it has 6 new branches growing, all of them are between 2 & 3 inches; one is about 6 or 7 inches!..at this rate, since it is July 5 (short growing season in Zone 4), I wonder if it will have any blossoms this year. The area where I planted it is considerably rocky under the surface...hard to dig holes for planting in my front yard..have unearthed some wonderful large rocks over the years!..also some traveling tree roots have to be dealt with. Soooooo, I wonder if the ground is too challenging for it to grow in more vigorously. Or, maybe it's just too young to do much else. I did fertilize last week with a liquid organic seaweed fertilizer. Perhaps I should either move it or be patient...I do have an area on the other side of the front yard with sandy soil...so much easier to dig, but the house blocks the sun there from about 11 am on..it gets good light but not direct sun in the afternoon. I would love someone to make some suggestions...Thanks for your help!..

Rita, that's funny. lol ...I mean LOL how funny (lol) can it possibly get...LOL! That's a lot of laughing out loud. lol

dizzle