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Author Topic: Butterfly bushes  (Read 11895 times)

Offline Shawn

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Butterfly bushes
« on: October 01, 2007, 10:08:46 pm »
Does anyone know if butterfly bushes are a good food source for bees?

Offline pttom

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2007, 10:21:52 pm »
I have purple, yellow, and white butterfly bushes. Most of the time they work the purple.

Offline KONASDAD

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2007, 11:19:33 am »
Mine work the white more frequently as do the Monarchs. They are used when many other plants flowers have wained from heat and seasons endings. They us'em, but I think only when other plants have lossed their nectar.
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Offline MrILoveTheAnts

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2007, 02:38:44 pm »
Yes I usually only see them on the Dark Knight (the dark purple one). I only ever see them on it during the early morning around or before noon. Later in the day they seem to go after other sources.

Offline Cindi

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2007, 10:57:33 am »
I was surprised to see bees on my Butterfly Bush (Buddlelia) this summer, I have a mid purple coloured one that is self-seeding everywhere, I have to keep pulling it up, because I simply don't want the bushes there, could transplant, but have too many other things to tend.  Enjoy this picture.  Have a wonderful day, beautiful life.  Cindi


There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2007, 10:37:59 pm »
Gee Cindi, That is a GREAT looking butterfly bush flower. Here where I live every time I plant these they only get scrawny looking flowers then die from the heat. Actually, your flower resembles something that grows down here called a crepe myrtle...the hotter it gets the better the flowers look, as long as they get some water.
your friend,
john

Offline MrILoveTheAnts

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #6 on: October 21, 2007, 02:47:40 pm »
Has anyone ever tried the Rainbow or 3 in 1 butterfly bush?
(Also sorry for the sponsored site but they seem to be the only ones with pictures of them)
http://michiganbulb.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_73096_A_Butterfly+Bush%2C+Rainbow_E_
http://michiganbulb.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_71471_A_Butterfly+Bush%2C+3%2Din%2D1+_E_

I imagen the 3 in 1 would do good with bees because of the white and light blue blooms, but what about the rainbow one? Has anyone ever tried it?

Offline Understudy

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #7 on: October 21, 2007, 04:52:35 pm »
I can't keep the bees off mine. They love  butterfly bushes.

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Brendhan
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2007, 01:12:43 am »
MrILovetheAnts.  The  butterfly bushes in the sites are beautiful, I haven't tried them, but how pretty.  I know they talk of the bush being fragrant, icch, I honestly can't stand the smell of the flowers, I think that they stink horrible.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline MrILoveTheAnts

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2007, 02:01:54 am »
Cindi: I think they smell awful too, but from a distance I find them to be a welcome change in the air. The Dark Knight I have smells the best but the only way I can describe it is it's similar to pungent rotting fruit. Do you have many fragrant plants? Which of them is the best? So far I must say that a Clethra my friend has is the best smelling plant around, and I hope to get one.

Offline Cindi

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #10 on: October 22, 2007, 11:07:25 am »
MrILovetheAnts.  Clethra alnifolia.  I googled that plant, shrub actually, bears tiny clusters of highly fragrant flowers in late winter.  I must get one too.  I am on and have always been on the search for fragrant flowers and trees.

I will have to list my favourite smelly plants that I grow here.  From my favourite first:

Night scented stocks (matthiloa bicornis) (night fragrance)
Mignonette (stock family)
Heliotrope Marine
Nicotiannas (night fragrance)
Stocks, (the 10 week Dwarf cultivar)

There are some more, but I can't quite think of them right now, obviously they are not high impact flowers.  So, you see the list is limited, but I never give up learning and finding more.

I also grew Virginnia Stocks, I heard that they were very fragrant and a lovely ground cover, nope, ugly sprawling plants that I ripped out after giving them a chance for a couple of weeks, too ugly for the garden and had no scent whatsoever.

This year I planted for the bees (and fragrance):

Yellow Honey Locust
Purple Robe Robinia (from the species Black Locust)

I have gathered seeds of the:

Garlic chives

I was surprised when I walked by the small group of garlic chives I have how fragrant the air was.  I am going to have an entire section of garlic cloves, and they are a very nice addition to any dish where I use green onion.  I can liken them to peace lily scent or simply the lily family.

I tried to grow the Moonflower for evening scent as we talked about in previous posts, but it never matured, even though I set the seeds early enough.  I will try again, they didn't even flower or even grow more than 2 feet long.  Brother.  Usually I have an excellent green thumb.  Need to do some research on how to grow this night scented flower.

If you know of any highly fragrant plants, tell me, I am interested.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day.  Cindi

There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline reinbeau

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2007, 12:43:57 pm »
Ah, Clethra, common name around here is Sweet Pepperbush - the scent of late summer.  When it blooms the scent is overpowering!  But I still love it.  Great bee plant for us, too!

Offline Cindi

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #12 on: October 24, 2007, 01:06:59 am »
Ann, so the scent is overpowering.  Describe this scent to some flower that we know.  Some are stinky and some are nice.  Have a beautiful day in our life.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline reinbeau

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #13 on: October 24, 2007, 09:04:01 am »
There is no similar scent.  Sweet, intoxicating....  It's overpowering because so many plants live in an area - they self-sow freely.  It's the smell of late summer, the smell of school going to begin soon, it brings me right back to being a little kid enjoying those long last days of freedom.  Sorry, it's the best I can do  :lol:

Offline Cindi

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #14 on: October 24, 2007, 12:45:19 pm »
Ann, you have descriptive writing skills, and you took me right into your life, long ago, when the dog days of summer were coming to an end.  Beautiful, memories, scents that take us back years and years and years.  Beautiful.

I am going to try to grow Clethra here (aka as you say Sweet Pepperbush), I am sure I can get some seed/roots/rhizomes from somewhere.  Right, you said they self-sow.  Can you got out and get some seed for me, or is it too late and the seeds have sown?  Curious, and would love some.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day in our life.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline reinbeau

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #15 on: October 24, 2007, 04:20:15 pm »
I dunno, Cindi, if the seeds have dropped or not - I'll go down to the end of the street and check when I get a chance!  :)

Offline KONASDAD

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #16 on: October 26, 2007, 03:06:36 pm »
Is it just a coincidence that the flowers bees really like are often shaped like a "bottlebrush". Butterfly, anise hyssop, pepperbush, russian sage, lavender etc just a thought...
"The more complex the Mind, the Greater the need for the simplicity of Play".

Offline MrILoveTheAnts

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #17 on: October 26, 2007, 03:42:38 pm »
I think the flowers just need to be manageable for the bees and offer either the pollen or nectar they're looking for. Perhaps this is how Gladiolus, Sunflowers, and Purple Cone Flowers fit in the mix.

Offline Cindi

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #18 on: October 27, 2007, 12:52:12 am »
Konasdad.  Now that is surely an interesting statement and logical.  I think the "bottlebrush" shape is very user friendly for the bees, the nectaries of the flowers are easy for the bees to get at and have hundreds on a flowerstalk. 

Never seen a bee on my glads, that I am aware of.  Gladioulus are beautiful.  Love them dearly.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline MrILoveTheAnts

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #19 on: October 27, 2007, 11:59:00 am »
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees/Beeongrassflower.jpg
It was something of a shock to find them in our Gladiolus's Cindi. I can't say I really recommend them either, the plants only ever have two or three flowers that are useful and they only last maybe a week or two at most, and each plant only produces so many flowers. The plant itself (at least the verity I have) looks like cartoon grass with stiff held together leaves. Maybe they'll be better next year.

Back to Butterfly bushes, I have a pink one that looks suspiciously like the one you had Cindi. The one I have is only hearty in zone 5 but does that mean it's seeds will still come back each year?

Offline Cindi

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #20 on: October 27, 2007, 12:19:42 pm »
MrILoveTheAnts.  You must be commended on the pictures that you take, up close and personal with the bees.  I like to take pictures that way and have some astounding beauties I have taken, too many to even begin to post on the forum.

About the Buddleia (butterfly bush), I guess now I have to tell a story.  I love to do with deed, story telling is my baleywick.

So, years and years ago, I venture maybe 14, when I was firstly getting involved in developing my small nursery business using my greeehouse, I was on a search for fragrant plants to grow.  I came upon the Butterfly Bush and thought, oh that sounds nice, a fragrant shrub, I can grow that too.  So I did.  I grew it from seed.  The plants grew slowly and I was not able to sell any the first year because of the smallness of the seedlings, so I just planted them into my own garden.

They grew like stink over the summer, fall and spring and became small bushes with lilac flowers.  Oooh, they stunk.  I could not stand the stink of these flowers and really really quite annoyed, because I had gone to so much lengths to grow these on my property.  So that was that year.  I took them out.  My youngest daughter, she was pregnant at that time, said that she loved the fresh outdoorsy fragrance, eeeks, I thought she was out of her mind.

So the years went by and my oldest daughter (who at that time lived in the mobile home on my property that my youngest daughter and family live in now) was still living there in the mobile home said that she would love to have a "butterfly garden" and could I make her one.  Well, of course, I jumped for glee, I would want one too.  So I delved into some research to find out what butterflies really liked and guess what I found out.  Of course, Buddleia, Butterfly Bush.  So, now I knew that I didn't like the lilac coloured ones at all, so I ordered some pretty white ones and dark purple.   They bloomed the first year and yes, we had a butterfly garden.

My oldest daughter moved out to venture out on her own with her new (third) husband.  Eeeeks, that poor girl (that goodness she has finally found "the one" that treats her like the beautiful Queen that she is).  That is an aside.

I didn't want to have the butterfly garden anymore, I had other plans, like making a different garden for there.  So out came the butterfly bushes.  I was not all that impressed with them, especially the short time that the flower bunches last, and it seemed that every other day I had to deadhead these shrubs and that was more than I wanted to do.  Man, can I ramble.  You should never had set me onto telling a story, (heee, hee, too bad, suck it up!!!!!).

That was about 6 years ago.  So I planted beautiful gardens, new grassy area, built a small rockery to keep some earth from eroding and planted more perennials and annuals.

The summer before last a Butterfly bush sprouted up in the area behind the rockery.  What!!!!!  It had been several years since the butterfly bushes were in the ground living.  So I just let the bush be, obviously it had a quest to germinate some seeds from years before, I can only guess the weather conditions were perfect for germination (seeds can lie dormant for a long, long time until Mother Nature sets the right conditions for germination).

This beautiful bush grew big last summer, but didn't bloom, I cut it down to a couple of inches above ground, as I do with many of the perennials.  This spring it took off like it was a rocket going to outer space.  Covered in beautiful purple blooms.   Beautiful, and yes, the bees love it, but not as much as the butterflies.

There are seedlings coming up everywhere, hundreds of them, I am finding them not even close to the large shrub, but everywhere on my property, I can see they will be becoming a nuisance and I will have to do some radical termination of seedlings come the spring or soon.  They are way, way far away from anywhere butterfly bush was grown.

Back to your original question.  The plant will set seeds and you will more than likely have seedlings coming up, but I cannot say for sure.  Also, I am not sure about if the butterfly bush you have is a hybrid.  If it is a hybrid, then the seeds may produce plants that may not be like your bush, it may be likened to the mother or father that produced this plant, but that is hard to say.  Let some seeds go and produce some young seedlings, grow them on and see what you get.  Why not?  If you've got any extra room where you live, I would encourage this propogation of nature.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline MrILoveTheAnts

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #21 on: October 27, 2007, 05:03:34 pm »
I was a bit more concerned with my neighbor's yard who occasionally show up once a month to mow the lawn and then I never see them. Behind their shed were tons and tons of tall weeds, possibly a native babies breath if such a thing exists. So I can imagen all the plants I'm growing in my yard might suddenly seed in their yard. Years ago someone planted a Rose of Sharon bush (Which I never seen honey bees working in spite some posts I've read!) and currently it grows like a weed everywhere with it's thick bark. The boundary of our yard is littered with stumps of ones I've cut and they come back each year. I see other people planting them in their yards and just wish I could warn them of the coming doom. So I'm hoping I'm not going to regret the butterfly bush. We do get butterflies on ours with some frequency and I'd much rather it be a butterfly bush then a Rose of Sharon growing all over, but I see some butterfly bushes growing 10 feet tall and around, maybe higher.

Offline KONASDAD

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #22 on: October 29, 2007, 11:16:41 am »
I have a similar prob w/ my neighbors bamboo now growing on my yard. I also have zoyzia grass out back and it will spread to my neighbors w/ time.(it also is replacing the clover :'() Butterfly bushes aren't invasive. They will sprout often, but they often will die and are easy to spot and rid if needed. I notice I have more seeds w/ bees in my yard. The butterfly bushes are loaded w/ seeds and they are more fertile. Lots of extra food for the finches and stuff, which spread them around your neighbors yard to start all over again!
"The more complex the Mind, the Greater the need for the simplicity of Play".

Offline Cindi

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #23 on: October 30, 2007, 12:29:25 am »
Honestly, get rid of the Rose of Sharon.  There are tons of more beautiful flowering plants and shrubs to have around that these.  I do not like them, the flowers are insignificantly ugly, and........oh brother I may get slammed.  Oh well, there are so many more beautiful flowering shrubs and tall flowers to plant, that YOU KNOW THE BEES WILL LOVE.  Did you ever get a chance to look at the list of "bee plants' that Ann and I have compiled for our forum friends?  If not, say the word and I will resurrect that post.  It is not hard to do, go into our profiles and search for the list, the search engine in the forum is a powerful tool and use it to your heart's content.  Go for it......love our life we're livin'.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline reinbeau

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #24 on: October 30, 2007, 11:47:06 am »
That's a little harsh on the Rose of Sharon  ;) , there are some lovely varieties, and they bloom when little else shrub or tree-like are blooming, at least around here.  I've heard that some can be weedy, maybe that's the kind you've seen and learned to dislike.  Different strokes for different folks!

Offline Shawn

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #25 on: October 30, 2007, 11:56:39 am »
Cindi,

I agree. There are a lot of rose of sharons here where I live and it seems "everyone is getting them." I guess I must have missed your post on good plants for bees. I too have posted some links to some sites that show god plants. I am still working on my yard trying to get as many bee plants as I can. I wish I had the climate you have but here it is dry and hot in the summer and usually a mild winter. The farmers here get their water from canals and all the water is from snow pack in the mountains. This year was good because we had the blizzard and an unusal amouont of rain fall. Ill search for the your post and see if there are some plants I like or that will grom here. I saw the latest picture you posted and I like that one a lot. 

Offline Cindi

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #26 on: October 31, 2007, 10:54:54 am »
Ann, of course there are probably other cultivars of Rose of Sharon, but yes, you are right, the ones that I have seen have flowers that I intensely dislike.  I really like double flowers, and I have only seen single flowers on the Rose of Sharons around here.  I know there are doubles available.  I shouldn't be so harsh, but then.....I dislike Marigolds too, but I plant them because they provide such beautiful shows all the summer long.  Maybe one day I will eat my words and find one that I do like, maybe.

I also dislike Cosmos, but I plant it for the late nectar and pollen for the bees.  Cosmos is too much work for me to want too many around.  Anytime I grow it I find that it has to be constantly deadheaded and that can lead to hours of deadheading, which is a pain my my rear and I don't like to spend that great amount of time with it.  But I still grow a couple.

Here's the list of plants that Ann and I put together.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day, in this great life.  Cindi

"Zinnias.  Sunflowers.  Herbs like oregano, thyme, chives, alliums, too many to list!  There's another thread around here where Cindi gives a wonderful list....Found it!  Copied below:

I spent many many hours last winter researching some of the best bee plants for pollen and nectar.  I have a list compiled that I am posting. Good luck.

The flowers that I found most attractive beyond your wildest dreams were:  phacelia tanacetifolia (blue tansy), borage officinalis, California poppy and the cornflower.  Smothered in bees all summer long (and the bombus too, along with other beneficials).  HOpe this gives you a great number of good bee plants to make some choices from.  There are many many more, but these are my choices.  Great day.  Cindi

BEE PLANT LIST
Centaurea Blue Boy Bachelors Button -- Bees and hover flies love
Borage officinalis -- Bees love it, cousin to comfrey, not affected by rain because of drooping blue flowers
Agastache (Anise Hyssop) --  loved by bees
Comfrey -- Bees love it
Centaurea Dwarf polkdot mix Bachelors Button -- Bees and hoverflies love it
Consolida (larkspur) Consolida ambigua  -- attracts beneficials
Eryngium planum Sea holly -- Bees are mad about this variety
Thyme T. Vulgaris -- a good honey plant for bees (thymus vulgaris)
Fireweed -- excellent honey, bees love it
Canary Creeper T. peregrinum -- bees love it, late late pollen plant
Cosmos –- valuable for late nectar source
Phacelia tanacetifolia (Purple Tansy) -- attracts bee from miles
Poppy giganthemum p. somniferum poppyseed poppy
California poppy “Apricot chiffon”eschscholzia californica -- bees love it
Catnip Nepeta Cataria -- a good bee plant
Lemon Balm Melissa officinanlis -- Perennial, bees love it
Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis Perennial, -- bees, hoverflies
Lovage Levisticum officinale -- bees love it
Spearmint Mentha spicata blooms late summer, --- bees, hummingbirds
Helipterum (Acroclinium) helipterum roseum  Sensation Giants Mix
Yellow rocket
Impatiens capensis grows wild around my house, great for late nectar/pollen, lasts til frost-kill
Great Blue Lobelia L. siphilitica perennial, dappled light, self-sows, flowers summer through autumn
Salvia Violet Queen S nemorosa  -- particularly attractive to butterflies & bees  Flowers 2nd year
Crimson clover Trifolium incarnatum outstanding cut flowers, -- annual, bees love it
Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum -- bees love it, turn under 10 days after flowering to avoid seed drop
White Dutch Clover Trifolium repens -- all beneficial insects"

There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Shawn

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Re: Butterfly bushes
« Reply #27 on: October 31, 2007, 05:47:29 pm »
Thanks for the list. I have some of the plants already but have made a copy of the list to get the ones I am lacking Thanks again.

 

anything