The Compact Shrub You Can Grow In A Pot With Purple Flowers That Butterflies Can't Resist

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A garden without butterflies is like a sky without birds — quiet and incomplete. Luckily, though, attracting butterflies to a garden is not very difficult if you choose the right plants. Take, for instance, Ultra Violet Buddleia (Buddleia hybrid 'Ultra Violet'). It is a compact, perennial bush that produces clusters of vibrant purple flowers from late spring into fall, until frost. The flowers are highly fragrant and have abundant amounts of nectar, which attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies to the yard. What's even better is that it tolerates heat and is unappealing to deer, so you won't have to worry about finding ways to keep deer out with this bush in your yard.

The 'Ultra Violet' grows about 3 feet tall and equally wide and has a mounding growth habit. You can plant it in garden borders, in dense clusters, or as a standalone feature plant in pots and containers. Just make sure that you choose the right container. Ideally, you want something that is about 12 to 16 inches wide and twice as deep as the container the plant came in. Also, make sure that it has plenty of drainage holes.

Note that 'Ultra Violet' is only hardy in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9. If you live outside these zones, you might have to look for some other fragrant plants to include in your butterfly garden. Plus, keep in mind that it is deciduous. So, it will lose its leaves in the fall, with new growth appearing on the plants in the spring.

If your aim is to attract more butterflies to your garden using 'Ultra Violet,' plant it in groups instead of individually. Pollinators like butterflies are more attracted to mass plantings, since they make it easier to spot the flowers. Group plantings also offer a more significant source of nectar. You can achieve this by placing multiple pots of 'Ultra Violet' together.

Likewise, make sure you use a well-draining potting mix and place the pots in full sun. Butterfly bush plants can grow well in partial shade, but they'll have fewer blooms, which is not ideal for attracting butterflies. To boost bloom production further, remove the old, spent flowers. Besides that, maintain a soil pH that's between slightly acidic and neutral. There are many home-based soil testing kits, like HSLGOVE's Soil Test Kit, that you can use to test the soil acidity yourself.

To help your 'Ultra Violet' plants develop a robust root system, water them regularly during the first season. You can reduce the irrigation frequency once they're established. 'Ultra Violet' is not a heavy feeder, and you only need to fertilize it once a year in spring. Just make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the product label, and do not overfertilize.