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Key identifying traits
Large, deciduous shrub, growing up to 10’ tall
Opposite, lance-shaped, 3-4" dark green leaves appear white or
silvery underneath due to a covering of fine hairs
Flowers are usually a shade of purple, but may be red, pink, blue,
orange, yellow or white
The fragrant, small, funnel-shaped flowers are borne in showy spikes
at the ends of stems, looking and smelling very much like lilacs
Biology and ecology
- Perennial shrub, reproducing mainly from seed, but will re-sprout
from root stock when cut
- May produce up to 3 million seeds per plant
- This plant is native to China and is a popular ornamental plant
here
- Butterfly bush has escaped ornamental plantings and invaded
roadsides, riparian areas & pastures
Control
Prevention – Learn to
identify plants; do not allow ornamentals to escape; if you grow it in
your yard, cut the spent flowers off and dispose to prevent spread of
seed by birds, wind, water; choose alternate ornamental shrubs to plant
Biological – A weevil and a stem-boring beetle are currently
being tested in New Zealand
Cultural – Healthy, competitive vegetation will help discourage
domination, but will not stop it from getting started
Mechanical – Cutting alone will cause it to re-sprout; digging and
pulling may cause more site disturbance, allowing more seeds to sprout;
dead-head spent flowers to prevent seed production
Chemical –Cut stump applications are effective as well as
complete foliar coverage at the proper time; butterfly bush
is not listed in the
PNW Weed Management handbook for specific chemical
recommendations, but check out the brush control and turf and
ornamental weed control sections |
"seedling" and backside of leaves
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