
Light Needs

Mature Height

Mature Spread

Growing Zones
One of the easiest shrubs to grow, Buddleia davidii Nanho Blue is a must-have butterfly bush for landscapes in zones 5 through 9. It grows quickly each spring and summer to a compact 5 to 6 feet high and 4 to 5 feet around. If you want to attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and songbirds to your yard, be sure to include several of these shrubs. Although they do fine standing alone, planting several is even better. And although pollinators love the long, silvery blue flowers, deer leave the plant alone!
Be sure to place one Nanho Blue Butterfly Bush near a walkway or patio where you can enjoy the fragrant flowers and watch flitting and flying visitors. Its compact form can work in a large container. The 4- to 10-inch flower spikes bring a bluish color to complement orange and yellow flowers all summer. What’s more, this fantastic shrub is easy to care for and can grow in nearly any soil type or moisture level.
Nanho Blue Butterfly Bush Care
Choose a spot with either full or partial sun for this versatile butterfly magnet. It will do best with at least 4 to 6 hours of sun a day. It can grow in poor soil, as long as it drains well. After planting, water it well and be sure to keep it watered during peak heat or drought. Once it begins to grow well and seems established in its spot, you can cut back on watering. Do not worry too much about overwatering or underwatering unless you see signs of wilting.
All or most of the leaves will die back in winter, but birds still can land on the branches. Wait until late winter or early spring and cut the plant all the way back to just above the ground. It will quickly regrow. There is no need to fertilize butterfly bushes, but you can top-dress the ground each spring with some compost to replenish the soil if you like. Container-grown buddleia can benefit from a one-time spring application of a slow-release fertilizer.
Note that in some regions, butterfly bushes can naturalize and become invasive, but newer hybrids are less sterile, and this is not a concern in many areas of the country.
Nanho Blue Butterfly Bush Spacing
Space your Nanho Blue Butterfly Bush plants about 4 feet apart in a mass planting to allow the mature branches to reach their full length.
Nanho Blue Butterfly Bush Information
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 - 9 |
Plant Type: Bushes |
Light Exposure: Partial Sun to Full Sun (At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight) |
Mature Height: 5 - 6 Feet |
Mature Spread: 4 - 5 Feet |
Spacing: 4 - 5 Feet |
Habit: Mounded, Upright |
Flower Color(s): Blue |
Flower Description: |
Bloom Period: |
Foliage Type: Deciduous |
Foliage Color(s): Green, Silver |
Foliage Description: Silver-Blue Green |
Seasonal Interest: Summer Flowering |
Watering: Average |
Resists: Deer |
Tolerates: Drought |
Attracts: Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds |
Container Role: |
Uses: Borders, Mass Planting, Wildlife Gardens |
Features: Attracts Pollinators, Cut Flowers, Foliage Interest, Fragrant, Low Maintenance |
Brand: |
Common Name: Nanho Blue Butterfly Bush |
Other Name(s): |
Scientific Name: BUDDLEIA DAVIDII `NANHO BLUE` |
- SKU:
- 1231000990-pc
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.

Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts

Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts

Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts

Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons

Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons

Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons

We stand behind our plants with industry-leading guarantees to give you peace of mind.
We want your plants to arrive in great condition! If you notice any issues upon delivery, contact us within 3 days.
Starting January 1, 2025 all bushes, perennials & trees purchased come with an extended 1-year warranty for added confidence. If your plant dies due to a health issue within a year, we’ll make it right.

Pre-ordered plants are scheduled to ship in Spring 2025. We carefully plan our shipping dates based on your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone to ensure optimal planting conditions upon arrival. Want it sooner/later? Reach out, and we'll try our best to accommodate.
Estimated ship week for pre-ordered plants will ship based on growing zones as shown below.
Growing Zone | Estimated Ship Week |
---|---|
Zone 10 | March 31th |
Zone 9 | March 31st |
Zone 8 | April 7th |
Zone 7 | April 14th |
Zone 6b | April 21st |
Zone 6a | April 28th |
Zone 5b | May 5th |
Zone 5a | May 12th |
Zone 4 | May 19th |
Zone 3 | May 26th |
Note: These are only estimated ship dates. Plants may ship out later depending on weather & growing conditions of the plant.
Note: Only plants indicated as pre-order will ship as shown above. All other plants and hard goods will ship as normal.
Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.
Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AZ, CA, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
If you have any questions about shipping restrictions, feel free to reach out to our team!