Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
Buddleia davidii Psychedelic Sky™, commonly known as Psychedelic Sky™ Butterfly Bush, will have your garden humming with pollinators. It features long spikes of fragrant, clear blue flowers that draw butterflies, as its name implies. It blooms from summer to fall, and the flowers are excellent for cut-flower arrangement. The gray-green leaves are also attractive and won’t burn in the sun.
Psychedelic Sky™ Butterfly Bush has an upright, mounded shape that reaches 4 – 5 feet tall and wide. This is a fast-growing deciduous shrub that is native to China. It is drought tolerant, heat tolerant, cold hardy to zone 5, and deer resistant. In addition to butterflies, it also attracts bees and hummingbirds. Use these shrubs to create a beautiful flowering hedge or line your front entrance with these beauties to instantly upgrade your curb appeal.
Psychedelic Sky™ Butterfly Bush Care
This shrub thrives in full sun, at least 8 hours of sun a day, and will become leggy and sparse in shade. It is adaptable to many different soil types, as long as the soil drains well. It cannot tolerate soggy soil and will die from poor drainage. Water this shrub weekly to establish its roots over the first growing season, and then reduce supplemental water the following years. Overwatering can lead to die back and weak stems.
Cut back in early spring down to 1 foot from the ground, which will rejuvenate this shrub. Continuous deadheading in the summer will extend flowering until frost.
Psychedelic Sky™ Butterfly Bush Spacing
For planting a hedge, space these shrubs approximately 4 feet apart. Increase the spacing to 5 feet apart if a gap between bushes is desired.
Psychedelic Sky™ 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
- 4-6 Feet
- Mature Spread
- 4-5 Feet
- Growth Habit
- , Mounded, Upright
- Water Needs
- Average
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , Blue, Purple
- Flower Description
- Blue, Purple
- 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
- Gray-Green
- Foliage Type
- , Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest
- , Summer Flowering, Fall Flowering
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- Psychedelic Sky™ Butterfly Bush
- Botanical Name
- BUDDLEIA 'PSYCHEDELIC SKY'
- 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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We want your plants to arrive in great condition! If you notice any issues upon delivery, contact us within 3 days.
Starting January 1, 2026 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.
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, 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!