Prince Charming Butterfly Bush
Prince Charming Butterfly Bush
Fragrant Pink Spires Alive With Butterflies All Summer
Prince Charming Butterfly Bush (Buddleia 'Prince Charming') lives up to the name — long, fragrant spires of rich pink flowers that butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds swarm from midsummer to frost. Fast-growing and drought-tough, it makes a quick pollinator magnet for the sunny border. In Minnesota it sits at the cold edge of its range, so it's best grown as a die-back shrub — cut to the ground each spring — in a protected, well-drained spot in Edina, Woodbury, or Maple Grove.
Prince Charming Butterfly Bush Plant Details
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Buddleia 'Prince Charming' |
| Mature Size | 3–5 ft. tall and wide (often shorter when winter dieback occurs) |
| Hardiness Zone | 5–9 (Twin Cities is zone 4b–5a — marginal; grow as a die-back shrub in a sheltered spot) |
| Light | Full sun (6+ hours) |
| Bloom Time | Midsummer to frost (blooms on new wood) |
| Flower Color | Fragrant rich pink |
| Soil | Well-drained; dislikes wet, heavy soil — especially over winter |
| Winter Hardiness | Marginal in the Twin Cities — usually dies back to the ground and regrows; plant in a protected, sharply drained site |
| Deer Resistance | Rarely browsed by deer |
Landscape Uses in Minnesota
Pollinator focal point: A magnet for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds — plant it where you can watch the activity. Space 4–5 feet apart.
Sunny, well-drained borders: Because it blooms on new wood, it flowers well even after dying back over winter. Pair with coneflower, catmint, and Russian sage.
Best Time to Plant in Minnesota
Plant in late spring (May) so it establishes through the warm season — giving it the best chance to overwinter. Choose the sunniest, best-drained, most sheltered spot you have.
How to Plant Prince Charming Butterfly Bush
Dig a hole twice the root ball width at the same depth, amending heavy clay with compost and grit for drainage. Set the crown level, backfill, water in, and mulch 2–3 inches deep (keep mulch off the stems). A protected, south-facing site improves winter survival.
Watering Prince Charming Butterfly Bush
First year: Water every 2–3 days at first, then weekly to establish. Stop 2–3 weeks before the ground freezes.
After year one: Drought-tolerant — water during dry spells only. Avoid soggy soil, which worsens winter loss.
Q: Will it survive a Minnesota winter?
It's marginal here (rated to about zone 5). In the Twin Cities it usually dies back to the ground and regrows from the base in spring — which is fine, since it blooms on new wood. Plant it in a sheltered, sharply drained spot and mulch the base for winter.
Q: When do I cut it back?
Leave the stems over winter, then cut back hard to a few inches in spring once new growth begins. It will rebound and bloom the same season.
Q: Is it really a butterfly magnet?
Yes — the fragrant flowers are among the best for attracting butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
Q: Is it deer-resistant?
Yes — deer rarely browse butterfly bush.
You May Also Like
Buzz Magenta Butterfly Bush (Buddleia): A dwarf butterfly bush for smaller spaces.
Coneflower (Echinacea): A fully hardy native pollinator partner.
Russian Sage (Perovskia): Airy blue spires that draw the same pollinators.
How Many Prince Charming Butterfly Bush Do I Need?
Butterfly bush is grown as a specimen or in small drifts rather than a clipped hedge. Space plants 4–5 feet apart, and plant in groups of 3–5 for the biggest pollinator show. For a loose, flowering border run, use this guide at 4.5-foot spacing:
| Border Length | Plants Needed (4.5 ft apart) |
|---|---|
| 10 ft | 2 |
| 20 ft | 4 |
| 30 ft | 6 |
| 40 ft | 8 |
Prince Charming Butterfly Bush Season-by-Season in Minnesota
- Spring: Leafs out late after winter dieback — cut last year's stems to a few inches as new growth pushes from the base.
- Summer: The main event — long, fragrant pink spires open and stay alive with butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
- Fall: Keeps blooming on new wood right up to frost, providing valuable late-season nectar.
- Winter: Goes fully dormant and dies back; leave the stems standing over winter and cut them down in spring.
At a Glance
✔ Pollinator-Friendly ✔ Deer-Resistant ✔ Drought-Tolerant
Plant It With
- Buzz Magenta Butterfly Bush — a dwarf butterfly bush for the front of the same sunny, pollinator border.
- Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass — upright vertical structure that reads beautifully behind the arching flower spires.
- Little Bluestem — a native prairie grass that thrives in the same hot, dry, full-sun spot.
- Magic Carpet Spirea — a tough, drought-tolerant color shrub for the front edge of the bed.
Is Prince Charming Butterfly Bush Right for Your Yard?
Butterfly bush thrives in full sun (6+ hours) and sharply drained soil in a sheltered, protected spot — the same conditions that give it the best chance to overwinter in the Twin Cities. Deer rarely bother it, and it shrugs off summer drought once established. It's not a fit if your site has heavy, wet, poorly drained soil (especially over winter), or if you want a shrub that holds its structure through winter — this one dies back to the ground each year and regrows from the base.