Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Summer Lilac

Group/Class:  Lo & Behold Series

Brand:  Proven Winners

Description:

A valuable compact garden plant with showy spikes of deep blue flowers in late summer when little else blooms; attracts butterflies; may be cut back to the ground each spring as it regrows vigorously, and blooms on new wood; great for smaller spaces

Ornamental Features

Lo & Behold® Blue Chip Jr. Butterfly Bush features showy panicles of fragrant royal blue flowers with lavender overtones at the ends of the branches from early summer to mid fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has grayish green deciduous foliage. The fuzzy narrow leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color.

Landscape Attributes

Lo & Behold® Blue Chip Jr. Butterfly Bush is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Lo & Behold® Blue Chip Jr. Butterfly Bush is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Lo & Behold® Blue Chip Jr. Butterfly Bush will grow to be about 20 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

Lo & Behold® Blue Chip Jr. Butterfly Bush makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.