Monarch® Butterfly Bushes 1 to 7 of 7 total
Monarch® Butterfly Bushes 1 to 7 of 7 total
Monarch® Butterfly Bushes
Plants That Work Butterfly Bush Collection
Late-Summer Flowers. A Magnet for Pollinators.
Monarch® Butterfly Bushes were bred for fragrant flower spikes, fast growth, deer resistance, and long-lasting color from late summer into fall. The collection ranges from compact rounded shrubs to broad statement plants, with flowers in purple, blue, pink, magenta, and red tones.
Butterfly Bushes With More Than One Shape & Color Story
Monarch® Butterfly Bushes were selected for heavy late-season flowering, fragrance, fast growth, and strong pollinator appeal. The collection also varies in habit and foliage: Dark Dynasty stays compact, Glass Slippers spreads low and wide, Prince Charming has a rounded upright form, and Crown Jewels brings golden foliage into the mix.
1
Late-Summer Pollinator Color
Long flower panicles open when many early-season shrubs have finished. Butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees visit the fragrant blooms from late summer into fall.
2
Flowers on New Wood
Monarch® Butterfly Bushes bloom on the current season's growth. Spring pruning can remove winter-damaged stems without sacrificing the coming summer's flower display.
3
Different Habits & Foliage
Choose compact, rounded, upright, or broad-spreading plants. Foliage ranges from deep green to silvery green and gold, adding interest before flowering begins.
Find the Right Variety
Compare Monarch® Butterfly Bushes
Compare flower color, foliage, plant size, and growth habit to choose the Monarch® Butterfly Bush that fits your garden.
| Variety | Flowers | Foliage | Mature Size | Why Choose It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monarch® Dark Dynasty Butterfly Bush | Royal purple | Gray-green | 3' H × 3.5' W | One of the most compact selections with a dense rounded habit |
| Monarch® Glass Slippers Butterfly Bush | Pale periwinkle blue | Silvery green | 3' H × 5.5' W | Low, broad habit with cool-toned foliage and flowers |
| Monarch® Prince Charming Butterfly Bush | Bright cerise to raspberry pink | Green | 3.5–4' H × 3.5–4' W | Intense pink 10-inch flower spikes on a rounded upright plant |
| Monarch® Blue Knight Butterfly Bush | Lavender-purple aging blue-purple | Mint green | 3.5–4' H × 6–6.5' W | Very long two-toned flower panicles on a broad plant |
| Monarch® Crown Jewels Butterfly Bush | Magenta-purple | Golden yellow | 3.5–4' H × 4–5' W | Gold foliage creates season-long contrast before blooms open |
| Monarch® Princess Pink Butterfly Bush | Light appleblossom pink | Dark green | 5' H × 6–6.5' W | Largest habit with soft pink 8-inch flower spikes |
| Monarch® Queen of Hearts Butterfly Bush | Magenta-red | Green | 2.5–3' H × 3.5–4' W | Compact plant with 7–9-inch richly colored flower panicles |
A Wide Late-Summer Palette
Meet the Monarch® Flower Colors
Purple and blue are only the beginning. The collection also includes cool periwinkle, soft pink, raspberry, magenta-red, and purple flowers set against golden foliage.
Dark Dynasty
Glass Slippers
Prince Charming
Blue Knight
Crown Jewels
Princess Pink
Queen of Hearts
Late-Season Nectar
Flowers Arrive During Peak Butterfly Season
Monarch® Butterfly Bushes begin their main show in the heat of summer and continue flowering into fall. Their fragrant flower panicles provide nectar for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds when spring garden plants have finished blooming.
Queen of Hearts is the most compact, but it still produces 7- to 9-inch magenta-red flower panicles from the top of the plant toward the lower stems.
Butterfly bush is a nectar plant, not a host plant for monarch caterpillars. Pair it with regionally appropriate milkweed if supporting the full monarch life cycle is a garden goal.
Monarch® Butterfly Bush Quick Facts
Plant Type
Deciduous Flowering Shrub
Bloom Season
Late Summer Into Fall
Blooms On
New Wood
Best Light
Full Sun
Growing Zones
Varies by Cultivar, 5–10
Attracts
Butterflies, Bees & Hummingbirds
Resists
Deer
Water Needs
Low to Average Once Established
Monarch® Butterfly Bush Care
Sun & Drainage Are Key
These fast-growing shrubs are relatively simple to maintain when their roots stay out of soggy soil and the plants receive enough direct sunlight.
Light
Give Them Full Sun
Plant Monarch® Butterfly Bushes where they receive at least six hours of direct sunlight. More sun supports dense growth, strong stems, and heavier flowering.
Soil
Drainage Is Essential
Average garden soil works well as long as excess water drains freely. Avoid low spots and heavy soil that remains saturated, especially during winter.
Water
Water More During Establishment
Keep newly planted shrubs consistently watered during their first growing season. Established plants have good drought tolerance but benefit from supplemental water during extended hot, dry periods.
Pruning
Wait Until Spring
Butterfly bush flowers on new wood. Leave the stems standing through winter, then prune after new growth begins to appear in spring. Many Monarch® varieties can be cut back to around 12 inches to encourage dense new growth.
Dormancy
Be Patient in Spring
Buddleia often wakes later than other shrubs. A plant can look inactive after nearby plants have leafed out, especially following a cold winter. Wait for healthy growth near the base before assuming the plant has been lost.
Fertilizer
Do Not Push Excess Growth
Butterfly bushes generally need little fertilizer in garden soil. Heavy feeding can produce excess foliage and weaker stems. Container plants can receive a light spring feeding after growth begins.
Landscape Ideas
Pair Monarch® With Other Sun-Loving Plants
Their late flowering season carry sunny borders into fall. Match companions to the mature width of the cultivar.
Compact Pollinator Borders
Dark Dynasty's compact form fits naturally with lavender and other lower sun-loving plants. The combination layers flower shapes and doesn't require space for a large butterfly bush.
Late-Summer Mixed Beds
Prince Charming's raspberry-pink flower spikes stand above lower perennials such as black-eyed Susans. Both bring strong color to sunny beds during the later part of the growing season.
Compact Specimen Plants
Queen of Hearts reaches only about 2.5 to 3 feet tall but develops a full, rounded form. Its compact size makes the flower display easy to position near patios, walkways, and smaller sunny beds.
Look Beyond the Flowers
Plant Habit Matters Before Blooming Begins
Nursery plants make the differences easier to see. Dark Dynasty stays tight and compact, Prince Charming develops a fuller upright framework, and Glass Slippers spreads wider with distinctive silvery foliage.
Dark Dynasty
Dense branching and a roughly 3-foot height make this one of the easiest Monarch® selections to fit into a smaller landscape.
Prince Charming
A rounded, upright framework gives this cultivar enough height for the middle or back of a perennial border without the extra width of Blue Knight or Princess Pink.
Glass Slippers
Silvery-green foliage and a low, spreading habit give Glass Slippers a softer look and make it useful in low plantings.
Why Shop With Us?
Why Buy Monarch® Butterfly Bushes From Plant Addicts?
Compare the Monarch® cultivars in one place along with practical butterfly bush care, purchase protection, and support from a family-owned online plant nursery.
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Bushes, perennials, and trees purchased from Plant Addicts include an extended one-year warranty for added protection.
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Find practical guidance covering planting, watering, pruning, fertilizing, containers, winter care, and blooming problems.
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Monarch® Butterfly Bush FAQs
What are Monarch Butterfly Bushes?
Monarch® is a collection of Buddleia cultivars developed for long late-summer flowering, fragrant flower panicles, pollinator appeal, fast growth, and distinctive plant habits. Plant Addicts currently carries seven cultivars in the series.
When do Monarch Butterfly Bushes bloom?
Monarch® Butterfly Bushes flower primarily from late summer into early fall. Smaller secondary flower clusters can extend the display later into the season, and deadheading can encourage additional flowers.
Do Monarch Butterfly Bushes bloom on new or old wood?
Monarch® Butterfly Bushes bloom on new wood. Their flowers form on growth produced during the current season, which allows the plants to flower even after old stems experience winter dieback.
When should Monarch Butterfly Bushes be pruned?
Prune in spring after healthy new growth begins to appear. Avoid hard pruning in fall, especially in colder climates. Many Monarch® varieties can be cut back to about 12 inches in spring to create a dense, compact plant.
Why is my Monarch Butterfly Bush late to leaf out?
Butterfly bushes naturally break dormancy late in spring. It is common for other shrubs and perennials to show active growth first. Wait for new leaves near the base before deciding that winter has killed the plant.
Which Monarch Butterfly Bush is the smallest?
Queen of Hearts and Dark Dynasty are among the smallest selections. Queen of Hearts reaches about 2.5 to 3 feet tall and 3.5 to 4 feet wide, and Dark Dynasty reaches about 3 feet tall and 3.5 feet wide.
Which Monarch Butterfly Bush grows the widest?
Blue Knight and Princess Pink develop the broadest habits. Blue Knight can spread about 6 to 6.5 feet, and Princess Pink reaches roughly 6 to 6.5 feet wide.
Which Monarch Butterfly Bush has blue flowers?
Glass Slippers has pale periwinkle-blue flowers paired with silvery-green foliage. Blue Knight produces light lavender-purple flowers that deepen to blue-purple as they age, creating a two-tone effect.
Which Monarch Butterfly Bush has pink flowers?
Prince Charming has bright cerise to raspberry-pink flowers, Princess Pink has softer appleblossom-pink flowers, and Queen of Hearts produces a deeper magenta-red color.
Which Monarch Butterfly Bush has colorful foliage?
Crown Jewels stands out for golden-yellow foliage paired with magenta-purple flowers. Glass Slippers has silvery-green foliage that creates a cooler color combination with its pale blue flowers.
Do Monarch Butterfly Bushes attract monarch butterflies?
Yes. Their fragrant, nectar-rich flowers attract adult monarch butterflies along with other butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Butterfly bush is not a host plant for monarch caterpillars, so add milkweed if you want to provide both caterpillar habitat and adult nectar.
Are Monarch Butterfly Bushes deer resistant?
Yes. Monarch® Butterfly Bushes are considered deer resistant. No plant is completely immune to browsing, but deer generally leave Buddleia alone compared with more favored landscape shrubs.
Are Monarch Butterfly Bushes drought tolerant?
Yes, once established. Water regularly during the first growing season so the root system can develop. Mature plants tolerate dry periods but produce their best flowering when severe drought does not continue for long periods.
Can Monarch Butterfly Bushes grow in containers?
Compact cultivars such as Dark Dynasty and Queen of Hearts can grow in large outdoor containers. Use a pot with excellent drainage and allow enough room for the mature width of the plant. Container-grown shrubs require more frequent watering than plants in the ground.
Where can I buy Monarch Butterfly Bushes?
Plant Addicts carries Monarch® Dark Dynasty, Glass Slippers, Prince Charming, Blue Knight, Crown Jewels, Princess Pink, and Queen of Hearts Butterfly Bushes online. Inventory changes during the growing season, so some cultivars may be temporarily sold out.
Choose by Color, Foliage & Mature Size
Choose Dark Dynasty or Queen of Hearts for a compact plant, Glass Slippers for silvery foliage and pale blue flowers, Crown Jewels for gold foliage, Prince Charming for raspberry-pink color, Blue Knight for a broad blue-purple display, or Princess Pink when a larger soft-pink butterfly bush fits the space.