Q&A for How to Prune a Butterfly Bush

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What is the difference between a Buddleia davidii and the Buddleia alternifolia butterfly bush?

Community Answer

There are several differences between the Buddleia davidii and the Buddleia alternifolia. First, they are closely related but not the same exact plant.These plants are two different species. They have the same genus, buddleia but different species, davidii and alternifolia. They have different growth habits, maintenance requirements and aesthetics. Alternifolia grows up to 15’ and has light purple flowers. Davidii grows up to 8’ and has dark purple flowers. Their leaves are different colors and are spaced differently. Davidii has opposite leaves and Alternifolia has an alternate leaf arrangement. They also require different pruning strategies as outlined above.

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Question

Is there a cure for a tomato plant fungus I have in my garden?

Community Answer

Water mixed with about 30% rubbing alcohol works very well against it.

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Question

How far can I cut a bush back if it was neglected for a long time and has grown too high?

Community Answer

Depends on what type of bush it is, but a general rule when a shrub was neglected is to not harshly prune it, but to do it gradually over several seasons. If you’re unsure of the type of shrub you have, your best bet is to not trim more than a third of its total size.

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I planted purple poppies this summer. Will they grow next year from this year's seeds?

Community Answer

Yes, they should! For best results, wait until the new seeds mature from this year's flower. You will know when the seeds are ready because the flowers will be gone, the foliage will start to turn brown and crisp, and the seeds will rattle around inside the seed head when moved. This happens during summer after your poppies are done blooming. Harvest the seeds and scatter in your desired location.You can also leave the browning poppies alone until next spring and the seeds will disperse over the winter.

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My butterfly bush plant is infected, the leaves are curling. How do I take care of the problem?

Community Answer

Prune the plant back to the uninfected areas; cut off the bad limbs and branches to a spot below the curling leaves. Hopefully, there will still be some of the plant left to regrow.

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