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 Plant Facts
Growing Conditions
- Hardiness ZonesGrowing Zones
- USDA Zones 5 to 9 (perennial); grown as an annual elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown indoors elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown in containers elsewhere (grown as a seasonal crop)
- Sun Exposure
- Part Sun to Full Sun (5+ Hours Direct Sun)
- Mature Height
- 5-6 Feet
- Mature Spread
- 4-5 Feet
- Growth Habit
- , Mounded, Upright
- Water Needs
- Average
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , Blue
- Flower Description
- Blue
- Bloom Time
- Summer to Fall
- Blooms On
-
New Wood
?
"Blooms on" tells you which stems produce flowers, which decides when it's safe to prune.
- New Wood: Flowers form on stems that grow this season. Prune in late winter or early spring without losing blooms.
- Old Wood: Flower buds form on last year's stems. Prune right after flowering. Pruning in fall or early spring removes next year's blooms.
- Both New and Old Wood: Blooms on last year's stems and again on new growth, so it flowers even after a hard winter or a mistimed pruning. Prune lightly after the first flush of blooms.
- When to Prune
- Late winter to early spring, before new growth starts
- Foliage Color
- , Green
- Foliage Description
- Silver-Blue Green
- Foliage Type
- , Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest
- , Summer Flowering
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- Nanho Blue Butterfly Bush
- Botanical Name
- BUDDLEIA DAVIDII 'NANHO BLUE'
- Plant Type
- Shrub
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
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
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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: ID, OR, 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!