Butterfly Bush care?

[1manda1]

I recently purchased a butterfly bush at a local nursary on sale for $3! It is pretty puny, and am not sure if it'll make it. Does anyone have any advice on how to care for it? I know nothing about them, it just looked so pityful in the store all alone about to die, so I had to buy it and see if I could save it!

Amanda

[1manda1]

One last question, my bush has a few yellowing leaves on the bottom branches. Also, they ahve a few little black dots on them. I've dusted them with Sevin, maybe that did the damage? Also, it rained here pretty heavily for a few days straight about 2 weeks ago, could it be too much water? I'm in Indiana, zone 5.

Amanda

[opabinia51]

The black spots are a fungal infection, probably powdery mildew. We don't recommend the use of funicides, pesticides or herbicides here because they tend to cause more problems than they solve.

I would recommmend cutting the infected leaves off and burning them.

[1manda1]

If I cut off all the spotted leaves, my plant would be mostly sticks! Is that ok? Can leaves be saved if treated. Should I try to kill the fungus instead of strip the plant? If so how?

Amanda

[Grey]

Butterfly bush, once healthy, is an easy plant. I practically ignore mine save for the occasional feeding.

As for the leaves - better for it to have only a few heathy leaves than let that fungal infection take over the healthy ones it has left. So long as it has a couple of leaves to work with, it has a chance.

[opabinia51]

If you were to treat the plant with some sort of fungicide, you would end up doing way more harm than good so, I am going to agree with GREY and advise you to remove the infected leaves and burn them.

[kitty-lover]

I started a Butterfly Bush from seed and had great luck. It's probably 6 or more years old. PLanted on the south side of my house, I give it very little care, except cutting it down in the spring. Amazingly it grows nearly 7-8 ft tall from the ground up each year. It blooms beautifully and draws alot of butterflies. Enjoy!!
Sue,Illinois

[1manda1]

Just to note, my butterfly bush is growing beautifully!! I cut all the infected leaves off, it was pretty bare for awhile, but grew back with a vengence and I've got lots of blooms. They're smaller than what I expected and smaller thant he first set of blooms, but it's alive and doing well, so I don't care!!

Thanks for the help.

Amanda