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| Fluttterby Petite Tutti Fruitti Pink butterfly bush (Photo by Allen Owings) |
One great buddleia (butterfly bush) for Louisiana is better than most on the market. It’s Fluttterby Petite Tutti Fruitti Pink, which was selected as a Louisiana Super Plant in 2014.
This butterfly bush was named a Louisiana Super Plant because Tutti Fruitti is non-invasive, stays small (24-30 inches tall at maturity in the landscape), is continuously in flower during the warm seasons of the year and has been a proven perennial in south Louisiana landscapes for three years. In addition, Tutti Fruitti plants attract large numbers of butterflies and hummingbirds compared with other butterfly bush varieties.
When you’re ready to plant a buddleia, select a well-drained location in full or partial sun. Soil pH should be in the 6.5-7.0 range. Fertilize at planting with a slow-release fertilizer. Buddleia plants are very drought-tolerant once established.
Most people plant butterfly bushes too close together. The Tutti Fruitti variety needs 3 feet between plants. Tip-pruning terminal shoots during the season encourages a cleaner-looking plant, but regardless of deadheading, blooms are non-stop in the warm season on this variety.
Allen Owings
Rick Bogren