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Buddlia growth and flowers

EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
in Plants
A butterfly plant I scavenged from my mums garden last year has shot up in the last few weeks and is now about 7 feet tall. 

If I cut about a foot off the end of each new branch will that make it grow new steams along those branches and make it fuller? I did this to my leggy Rosemary and it looks so much better.

Also will cutting it like that have a positive or negative effect on its flowering?

Many thanks.


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Posts

  • EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151

  • Alan Clark2 in LiverpoolAlan Clark2 in Liverpool Posts: 2,190
    It is best to prune Buddleias hard to a height of two or three feet any time after they have flowered, up to spring. They flower on this year's growth, so it is a bit late, but you will still get flowers at the end of summer or early Autumn if you do it now, but it is up to you. They are bomb-proof so don't be afraid to overdo it.
  • EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
    Alan Clark2 in Liverpool said:
    It is best to prune Buddleias hard to a height of two or three feet any time after they have flowered, up to spring. They flower on this year's growth, so it is a bit late, but you will still get flowers at the end of summer or early Autumn if you do it now, but it is up to you. They are bomb-proof so don't be afraid to overdo it.
    Yes I have seen lots of people saying that. What I would like to clarify is will it grow new side stems/branches like my rosemary (see photo) does when I cut off the end of a single stem. 

    Thanks.


  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Yes, but only lightly trim the ends by a few inches at this time of year.  You can use the cut shoots as cuttings.
  • Alan Clark2 in LiverpoolAlan Clark2 in Liverpool Posts: 2,190
    if you cut the stem you can expect several new side shoots, but they will be near the cut, so if you only cut it back a short way there will be a long stem with lots of side branches at the top but not lower down, as on your rosemary. This will not look very good, so a more severe cut is perhaps preferable to a light trim.
  • EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
    Alan Clark2 in Liverpool said:
    if you cut the stem you can expect several new side shoots, but they will be near the cut, so if you only cut it back a short way there will be a long stem with lots of side branches at the top but not lower down, as on your rosemary. This will not look very good, so a more severe cut is perhaps preferable to a light trim.
    Ah ok thank you. What do you think if I cut each of them down halfway up?
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    It will take longer to flower, the more you cut off.
  • Alan Clark2 in LiverpoolAlan Clark2 in Liverpool Posts: 2,190
    Halfway should be ok. Whatever you do will not do any permanent harm.
  • EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
    fidgetbones said:
    It will take longer to flower, the more you cut off.
    That's good to know. Thank you! Maybe I'll only cut down half of it then, leaving a couple of tall steams untouched and making the lower part to get a bit bushier. Should be interesting to see how it turns out.

    About the cuttings, do you think I need rooting powder? 
  • EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
    Alan Clark2 in Liverpool said:
    Halfway should be ok. Whatever you do will not do any permanent harm.
    OK great thank you. Yeah I didn't think it would cause any permanent damage, but I thought it would be wise to ask. I know these are tough plants and I think that if humans were to be wiped out then the Buddlias would take over the Earth, or the UK at least.
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