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Butterfly bush and Common boneset: growing conditions and wildlife benefits.

COMMON CHOICE Butterfly bush Buddleja davidii	NATIVE ALTERNATIVE Common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
	GO NATIVE
Native range
Tibet and central to southern China	Native in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia.See state guides
Sunlight
Full sun	Full sun
Soil moisture
Average moisture; well-drained soil; tolerates some dryness	Moist to wet / Average moisture
Mature height
6–12 ft	4–6 ft
Mature spread
4–15 ft	3–4 ft
USDA hardiness zones
5–9	3–9
Season of interest
Summer–fall	Summer–Fall
Garden & wildlife value
Nectar feeds adult butterflies and other pollinators; its leaves do not feed native butterfly caterpillars.	Late native flowers feed many pollinators, and seedheads supply food 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 tall perennial that forms colonies; use moist ground with room to spread.
Growing information	Growing information Native range: Kew

Sizes describe the species; individual cultivars can differ.