Cut back buddlejas

A hard prune keeps them tidy and flower-rich, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

BUDDLEJA is often called ‘butterfly bush’ and for good reason. In summer you will find that their glorious racemes of flowers in a multitude of shades from white to deepest purple, are smothered in butterflies.

Commas, peacocks, red admirals and painted ladies are usually the main feeders, but you will also see blues and cabbage whites among their number as well as bees and hoverflies.

Buddlejas are generally small to medium-sized shrubs, but if left unpruned they quickly get out of hand and can become too big and straggly, their flowers held well above head height on long bare stems (as is commonly seen along railway sidings).

The most common variety of the plant is Buddleja davidii, and to keep them healthy and shapely, hard prune them now, before they leave winter dormancy and get into their spring growth.

This is called ‘stooling’ and involves pruning branches right back to within 12-18in (30-45cm) of their base, but without cutting into old wood which may not regenerate successfully.