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Butterfly bush and Buttonbush: growing conditions and wildlife benefits.

COMMON CHOICE Butterfly bush Buddleja davidii	NATIVE ALTERNATIVE Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
	GO NATIVE
Native range
Tibet and central to southern China	North America into Central America and CubaSee state guides
Sunlight
Full sun	Full sun
Soil moisture
Average moisture; well-drained soil; tolerates some dryness	Moist to wet
Mature height
6–12 ft	5–8 ft
Mature spread
4–15 ft	3–6 ft
USDA hardiness zones
5–9	5–9
Season of interest
Summer–fall	Summer
Garden & wildlife value
Nectar feeds adult butterflies and other pollinators; its leaves do not feed native butterfly caterpillars.	Round flower clusters feed bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, followed by seeds for birds.
Growing notes
A large, fast-growing shrub that can self-seed into natural areas. Compact and sterile cultivars differ from the species.	A choice for genuinely moist to wet ground or a rain garden, rather than a dry butterfly-bush bed.
Growing information	Growing information

Sizes describe the species; individual cultivars can differ.