How to Prune Butterfly Bushes and Lantana

How to Prune Butterfly Bushes and Lantana - In this video I show how I prune my Butterfly Bushes and Lantana in the late winter. I will also give them a haircut in the middle of the summer as well.
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[@JeanTOM-qb5dm]

Jim, your how to videos are superb , helpful and timely. Your propagation series is the best available online. Your videos with experts like Dr. A, Tony Avent, Michael Dirr, Mr.Maple, Pine Knot, the developer of Encore Azaleas, etc. are incredibly informative, inspiring and inspired. I love to listen in on your conversations with experienced gardeners & true experts. I learn more than I can in any class at any level. For gardeners with a life long passion for plants, your channel is a real blessing! Thank you.

[@LitlPoot]

Yep, that's me - the one (in North Atlanta) who cuts down her Ms. Huff lantana immediately after the first frost knocks it down. However, I do mulch it heavily with pine bark and/or leaves, and it comes back gloriously every year. I do wait to prune my butterfly bushes until late winter ... about the time I see the first buds popping open. Isn't gardening just the best ... always, always, always something to do in anticipation of future blooms !!! thanks, as always, for your most excellent advice, encouragement and inspiration !!!

[@patriciaglass1743]

I have butterfly bushes pop up all over my yard in the Pacific Northwest. For this reason I have never put the trimmings in the compost pile. Do you not worry about that or do you cut the seed heads off?

[@stephaniemiddleton1562]

@@patriciaglass1743 older varieties of butterfly bushes are incredibly invasive in the PNW vs the south - it’s likely an issue that we have in this area that others (especially those in the south outside Atlanta) don’t have to deal with given that their weather conditions provide a different level of control that we just don’t have here.

[@ashleighnelson512]

Holly is always such a good helper 🤗💚

[@JimPutnam]

Yes she is!

[@joannadavis6716]

Perfect timing for my garden pruning chores. You taught me everything I need to know about pruning butterfly bushes and lantana.

[@boysrus2]

Super helpful! I didn’t know I should prune my dwarf butterfly bush, but now I do. Thanks!

[@judymckerrow6720]

Thank you Jim and Stephany. ❄️💚🙃

[@basanteena]

Jim and Steph- thank you for all you do to inspire and educate us.

[@cathyscreationandvlog4224]

Last year I lost my butterfly bush,I believe what happened is I seen the new growth starting and then I did a chop on it and then we had one late frost and I believe that's what killed it. this year I am making sure that I am out of the clear before I chopped mine again.

[@beckysmith7142]

I love your videos Jim! I always learn so much from you! One thing I do, when pruning, is to wear safety glasses to protect my eyes from those stiff limbs. I know someone who had a very nasty eye injury from the very bush you are demoing on today, the beautiful Butterfly Bush. Thanks so much for all of your helpful advice over the years! I am a better gardener for it!

[@karenk9404]

Thanks Jim - I had asked for pruning videos and they have all been so helpful!

[@vintagemotorcyclerepair4052]

Thanks Jim! Please show how & when you prune the Purple Smoke Tree.

[@peggydove8756]

Thanks for reminding me about my butterfly bush!

[@kleenmary7060]

Very timely as I was wondering if I should prune in fall for my first year garden. You two make a very good video.

[@itsallaboutlight]

Just in time!

[@SnappyR]

Every Spring my butterfly bushes get yellowing, nasty looking leaves on the new growth - I end up cutting them way back and it does the trick and they come back strong - but it takes forever, which is probably the length to which I cut them back. Regardless - this video provided good detail for us on pruning techniques. Thanks Jim for all you do for us gardeners♥

[@Flower_hoarder]

🌱🌿✂️RELAXING ✂️🌿

[@databang]

Thanks JP!

[@JimPutnam]

Thanks for watching!

[@juneramirez8580]

Second video I am binge watching!! I have a butterfly bush I cut low when I transplanted it from a big pot to in ground and it is just starting to grow again. But I have so many lantanas I want to keep trimmed so they stay fuller and don't get so huge and leggy. We had more winter cold mornings here in the low desert of AZ and my smaller yellow lantana all died back. So I have a lot of trimming on them to do. But I will wait just a little longer before I tackle them. Thank you for teaching us. I have all the tools you showed.

[@katiekane5247]

There's a giant Chapel Hill Lantana planted in a hell strip in downtown Dawsonville. It's years old & was easily 8'×4' on it's best year. The untrained crews cut it during the fall year before last & it really affected it. I'd always be trained to wait but seeing how badly even a well established plant was still surprising. They ruined some beautiful old Crepe Myrtles at the library this year. Power tools without knowledge causes a great deal of ugliness. Was affected* poorly written, my bad

[@helenjackson1666]

Thankyou for your tips and guidance ,you're teaching us a lot

[@ljones98391]

Chop and drop the twiggy stuff. 👍 Thank you Jim.

[@elaineallen1935]

I struggle to get mine over 2 feet, im thinking its in good soil but very confused why its not growing. lol. your video knowledge is most helpful. have a prosperous new year.

[@josephaustin5377]

Great video. Thanks

[@jumprope04]

Thank you, Jim and Steph! We’re 2nd yr gardeners - just planted our newest beds last Fall including a butterfly bush. Your pruning videos are a great help to us. One question please - why do we leave a few inches of the old wood if it doesn’t create new growth? Can it be cut down to the soil line? Thank you.

[@patriciafroelich-pilichows841]

Very helpful…will prune tomorrow …i am always hesitant to prune as i fear doing it the wrong way and time.

[@joyhamilton4248]

We didn’t keep up with cutting our butterfly bushes and on of them snapped in half!! Thanks for sharing

[@MFgr8]

I had always heard butterfly bushes were invasive, but never seen them in the wild until a trip to Seattle, WA last year. So many growing on the sides of the interstate.

[@JimPutnam]

Yes, but the newest varieties are sterile introductions

[@MFgr8]

@@JimPutnam I made sure the Black Knight variety was before I planted it. Thanks for the videos.

[@cherylstrawn9448]

Thanks for the pruning tips! Maybe by next year I'll have something growing that will need to be pruned (starting from scratch in this new-to-me yard). Good News -- I am seeing some little green leaves on the Radiance Abelia and Sunshine Ligustrum that lost all of their leaves at once after the December cold snap. There's hope! (7b in North Miss/Memphis area)

[@lynnepatterson6900]

Great tutorial!! Looking for to seeing how you compost!

[@CarolinaCrypto]

Just joined your channel. Thanks for the great content. Great to hear from someone in our zone that has your experience. I’m sure you’ve considered chapter markers on your videos. Subscribers would appreciate that. Thanks again for all the variety you provide.

[@jwillgarr]

Jim, Could you review how to prune Hardy hibiscus in one of your upcoming videos please?

[@Ibis333]

If you're talking about the big dinner plate type, just cut it back to about 6-8 inches as he did in this video with the dwarf butterfly bush. I usually do mine in the fall and then mulch up the crown for protection but you can do it in the spring after the freeze-thaw cycle is largely over. Dormancy breaks late on these, so just be patient even if it looks dead way into spring. [ETA: Unlike the butterfly bush, they grow on new stems straight from the ground and last year's stems just die, so you don't have to worry at all about where you're cutting on them.] If you're talking about Rose of Sharon, they don't need to be pruned but take out any dead or damaged branches in late winter/early spring after the leaf buds start to swell. If you need to control size for whatever reason you can cut back up to one third at the same time. They bloom on new wood.

[@jwillgarr]

@@Ibis333 AWESOME 👌🏽! I was actually talking about the dinner plate ones, so the first part of your answer helps me so much! I'll be sure to wait until after the last frost before I do the pruning. Thank you!😀😀

[@cathysahlfeld3924]

I needed to see this! 👍🏽 Thank you.

[@peterjohn8625]

I have a really old butterfly bush about 15ft tall. The top branches are thick like a tree. I always think about cutting the top branches.

[@marybeth4002]

Jim, Is your Lantana in NC the same Lantana that I plant annually here in Michigan (6a) ? Yours looks more like a bush/shrub with woody branches. Great video - good to see Miss Holly enjoying herself outside. Thank you, Jim and Steph.

[@kso808]

Should we still prune Butterfly bush if they have new green leaf growth at the top, for a bush the same size as your smaller first one shown? Thanks.

[@JimPutnam]

I definitely would

[@frsujongaming]

So really nice vedio thank you for sharing this vedio

[@cece_marie]

Last year my annual lantanas all came back, with one not waking up until July. It would be nice if that happens again this year.

[@dylan8285]

I wish I could get lantana to do well here in Se Mi but I’ve tried it the past 2 seasons and it’s never done much. First year I put it where it’s supposed to like a place that is hot and dry and cooks in the sun, never did much besides 8-10in tall. So I thought ok it’s too dry then this past year I planted it in my south bed that has all my other water hungry tropicals on drip, same thing but that plant looked really lush this time so I was like well now it’s too wet 😂🤦‍♂️

[@dawnfayette4873]

if you have a fire pit, save your butterfly bush trimmings in a dry place...they make great kindleling.

[@sonyakim4403]

Being in zone 5a it blows my mind hearing someone say “February flowering” LOL I am a couple feet deep in snow yet. We won’t have any type of flowering until I want to say May? 😅

[@WrenCottage302]

Thanks!

[@JimPutnam]

Thank you so much!

[@lizsmith2582]

Will the frost cause any damage on the plant 🌱 after pruning?🤔 I am afraid of pruning mine too early because we have not passed the last frost day yet.

[@juneramirez8580]

Personally I'm going to wait a couple of weeks longer to get past our last frost date here in the Low Arizona desert Zone 9B. I think it would only hurt the plants if you trimmed it way too early and new leaves started to emerge. They would be hurt by the frost. Also I heard that all those dead branches help insulate the plant if you live in a really cold area

[@frankjordan8997]

Thanks a bunch. I have two types of butterfly bush. The first is just a standard one like you show in the video. The other is a Buddleia - Clerodendro Azul. The flowers actually look like little butterflies. Should that one be pruned the same way?

[@cantor7723]

Jim, I'm a bit jealous your butterfly bushes are so healthy and vigorous! I'm in zone 7 in the state directly west of yours, and I plant a butterfly bush in the ground in spring. It grows like crazy and blooms. I don't cut it back or touch it during winter. Come spring, it never leafs out! Dead. I've killed 8 of them. One online person said that they HATE wet feet in heavy clay, but isn't your soil heavy clay too? Do you have any idea why mine don't do well? Any suggestions? This is my last year of trying them.

[@donnafreeman8911]

I followed the mid - summer buddleia prune loaded w butterflies during day. It took 3 weeks to flower again and butterflies left and only a few returned when flushed out. Such a void for August.

[@graylagran7443]

Oh good! I had already cut my miss huff to the ground. Whew!

[@donnafreeman8911]

Is it wrong to use a small chain saw on larger buddleia? My summer lucious lantana looks dead even covered freezes and cut it small. Hard to believe it will come back. Even thought to transfer but did so well in raised bed.

[@wandaharris5584]

My beautiful Goshiki Hollies look so bad after the sub zero storm and wind this winter. I would love to know if there is any hope they will recover

[@jjsq22]

Jim, Great video, I need to move a butterfly bush, I'm in zone 7A ish. Just north of Philly, the ground is not frozen would it be safe to relocate it now? Thanks!

[@denisesoles7180]

You said that butterfly bushes and lantana need to be pruned because they grow on all new growth. What other plants should I prune that only bloom on new growth? I live in Jax Fl, zone 9a.

[@greenrockgarden2851]

Omgahhh!😮 What variety of butterfly bush is the second one that you pruned? I would love to have one that will get that large.

[@sharonmitchel1377]

Is vitex a plant that can or should be pruned in this fashion? I planted “Flip Side” June, 2021 and it really grew like crazy last year.

[@pozzee2809]

Jim, do cut off the spent flowers on the Butterfly Bush?

[@soccermom1245]

The ascot rainbow euphorbia beside the house is BEAUTIFUL! I lost one last year and the other one is rather small but has grown a new branch, so I am hopeful. It is in full sun and I am in SE coastal NC (Southport). Any suggestions?

[@rachelsgarden]

I think you might be referring to the Roman candles podocarpus 😊 I have rainbow euphorbia in full sun as well but in containers. Mine look the best in late winter/spring, smaller during summer. My nursery suggested some shade in the summer. I usually have lantana or other summer flowering perennial planted with it, creating some filtered light. They don’t seem to mind being on the drier side during summer.

[@stacieamick4115]

Silly question, what month did you film this? If I missed it in the video, my apologies.. just trying to figure out if February in South Carolina is too late to prune my butterfly bush

[@summitsandy]

I bought a plug tray of 100+ "dwarf" butterfly bushes (Buddleia davidii dwarf blue), potted them up and kept them happy in an unheated greenhouse all winter. Before planting them in the garden, I went online to double-check info about them and found that it's their LEAVES that are dwarf, not the plant! Yikes! Not the cute little plants I'd envisioned for the front a long border that won't get much summer water in my large Zone 9b garden.. Would it be possible to keep them fairly short by serious spring and mid-season pruning OR should I just find different homes for them?

[@caseyspinks7781]

After I have pruned my Lantana, is NOW the time to move it to a new location???

[@judymiddleswart9350]

Hey Jim I’m in Pensacola fl is it too late to move my butterfly bush to more sun.. I’ve already pruned thanks for a reply

[@dorindajenkins7825]

🙋

[@dianacarlyle800]

My Lantana Miss Huff did not do good last year. Very few blooms and leaves looked grey. What's going on?

[@brianpisz4471]

Hi Jim, what kind of butterfly bush is that large one?

[@carolwilliams2356]

I thought my butterfly bush was big at four feet. Time to prune.

[@doctortcbkk2027]

I have a small dwarf butterfly bush that seems t look like it just died at first freeze in the fall…..all the way down to the ground and barely looks like a small stump. think it will spring some green??

[@jcking6785]

Give it a little time; I bet it will recover. I have one that’s 20+ years old, been through two ice storms that decimated many plants and an Arctic Blast similar to the one we had this past Christmas and it has come back every year. Not disputing Jim’s advice but I cut mine down to about 4-6” here in z6, central KY. Hope that helps…

[@stephanieurban8]

Hi Jim. I have a standard form lantana that I keep in my greenhouse over winter in Michigan, zone 6. How far back should I cut it in the spring?

[@JimPutnam]

I would just reshape the ball right before spring

[@frandavis8687]

Why don't you put your hand pruners on the ground? Just askin'.

[@rachelsgarden]

Wondering the same!

[@jenniferhooks2454]

I cut my lantana back down to the ground every year after the first frost. Most of them come back every summer. I have one that is about 12 years old; it gets about 3 feet by 4 feet every year. I usually pull up my yellow trailing lantana after the first frost. I plant a new one in a different place. One year the trailing yellow lantana grew so big they totally smothered and killed my brand new purple pixie loropetalums. Lesson learned.

[@larryaugust8205]

Shade or sun?

[@karenwestby-gibson758]

Jim, does ornamental grasses trimmings be used in compost?

[@JimPutnam]

Absolutely.

[@TheBarefootedGardener]

I have to disagree with you on the pruning shrubs at the same height every year thing - I think it looks horrendous in the winter after that’s been done for a few years.