Butterfly Bush, also known as Summer Lilac, is a stunning flowering shrub that’s a total magnet for butterflies all summer long. While most people plant them directly in the garden, you can absolutely grow them in containers! It’s a great way to bring those gorgeous flower spikes right onto your patio.
Growing Butterfly Bush in Containers
You can definitely grow a Butterfly Bush in a large pot on your deck or balcony. The trick is to skip the massive garden varieties and go for compact cultivars instead. These “dwarf” versions are bred specifically for pots and usually top out around 5 feet. Here are a few of my favorites:
- ‘Purple Emperor’: Features a nice compact shape and deep purple-violet blooms.
- ‘Buzz (R) Violet’: Reaches about 4 feet with light violet flowers and lovely arching branches.
- ‘Summer Lounge’: A tiny powerhouse that only hits about 2 feet tall and comes in white, pink, or violet.
- Location and Soil
If you want a happy plant, give it full sun! That’s where it’ll thrive and attract the most butterflies. You’ll need a roomy container—aim for at least 16 inches in diameter and depth—with plenty of drainage holes. I always recommend stone, terracotta, or clay pots. Plastic pots tend to bake in the summer sun, which dries out the roots way too fast. For soil, a standard high-quality potting mix works great, but I like to mix it 1:1 with sand, expanded clay, or crushed brick to ensure it drains well. Adding a layer of broken pottery shards at the bottom is a smart move to keep those drainage holes clear.
- Care Tips
Butterfly Bushes are pretty low-maintenance. As long as they get plenty of heat and sunlight, they’re happy. If you tuck them away in a dark corner, they’ll eventually struggle and fade out. When it comes to watering, keep it steady but moderate. These plants actually handle a little dry spell much better than they handle “wet feet” (soggy soil). During the growing season, feed them every two weeks with a liquid fertilizer. Look for one designed for flowering plants—higher in phosphorus and lower in nitrogen—to encourage more blooms.
From July through September, make sure to deadhead the spent flower spikes to keep the plant looking tidy and blooming. Then, in late winter, give the shrub a light pruning to shape it up for spring.
While Butterfly Bushes are hardy in the ground, potted versions need a little extra TLC in the winter. Move the pot to a sheltered spot and set it on a piece of Styrofoam or wood to insulate it from the cold ground. Wrap the pot itself in several layers of bubble wrap or garden fleece to protect the roots. You don’t need to worry about wrapping the branches—they’re tough enough to handle the chill!
