With its lavish flowers and uncomplicated care, the butterfly lilac is recommended as a summer beauty for the balcony. Of course, the majestic garden varieties do not feel comfortable in the pot. A dwarf butterfly bush is a better choice for the pot. Get to know the most beautiful Petite varieties here with tips for care.
Which butterfly lilac is suitable for the balcony?
Dwarf varieties such as Free Petite Snow White, Petite Adonis Blue and Buzz Velvet are ideal for growing butterfly lilac on the balcony. Make sure you have sufficiently large containers (30-50 liters), suitable substrate and regular watering and fertilization during the growing season.
Beautiful varieties for the pot – a selection
With a growth height of up to 300 cm and a width of 200 cm, the classic varieties of butterfly lilac exceed the capacity on the balcony. In order not to miss out on the summer symphony of color and scent, dwarf varieties are available. We have looked around and put together a selection for you to browse:
- Free Petite Snow White delights with its splendor of white flowers from July to September; Growth height: 40-60 cm
- Petite Adonis Blue boasts fragrant, blue flowers until October; Growth height: 60-90 cm
- Buzz Velvet pleases the eye with dark pink panicles from June to September; Growth height: 90-120 cm
If you are looking for a butterfly bush for the balcony in the classic color violet, you will find it with Buddleja davidii 'Buzz Violet'. From June to September, the 120 cm tall flowering bush boasts its purple panicles and is swarmed by countless butterflies.
Care Tips for Dwarf Butterfly Lilac
So that a butterfly bush in the pot thrives vitally and blooms, the container should have a volume of 30 to 50 liters. As a substrate, we recommend pot plant soil emaciated with sand (€18.00 on Amazon), supplemented with perlite breathing flakes. The care program is very simple:
- If the soil is dry, water thoroughly with normal tap water
- From May to September, fertilize liquidly every 4 weeks
- Clean up wilted flowers as soon as possible
- Repot every 1 to 2 years in spring
Before winter, ideally put the bucket in a bright, frost-free area. To overwinter outdoors, place the pot on bark mulch in a wooden box. Cover the substrate with leaves, straw or wood shavings. When temperatures rise in spring, winter protection is removed. Now is the best time to cut back the butterfly bush to 20 to 50 cm.
Tip
Winter damage to the butterfly bush often results from drought stress. Regardless of whether the tree overwinters in the pot indoors or outdoors, the root ball must not dry out. Therefore, please do not completely stop the water supply during the cold season.
