butterfly bushes

I am wanting to know how to collect the seeds from the bushes. I have a whith, red, yellow, and blue one planted in pots, on my back landing, on the second floor. Anyway, my Mom is wanting to try and grow them in her yard. How do I go about getting something she can work with.

Cutting are easier than seeds. I pressume you are talking about Buddleia
In the late autumn or winter Cut a woody piece below a leaf joint remove the leaves from this joint. Leave either 1 or 2 sets of leaves above this and push 2 to 3 inches into a gritty or sandy compost. If you do about 5 per pot even if something goes wrong you are bound to have 1 grow.
They should flower the next summer I usually nip the tops every couple of leaves, to keep them bushy.
Have fun
(if you happen to pop past my house i'll let you have a couple of dozen Lol)
Mike

Here is a pic

Wow Mike, your Buddleia is gorgeous. I just got two this year, so thanks for telling us how to get more from our plants. I'm always nervous about cutting a plant (unless the part is dead!)

What exactly is a leaf joint please?

Thanks,
~Sunny

Shame i cant draw a picture on here!
The leaf joint is just where the leaves join the stem. On Buddleia there is usually a leaf either side of the stem.
Some times closer to the flower they come out one at a time.
If you always leave some leaves on the plant they can AND should be cut back hard to keep them bushy. Do it in spring though.
Mike

Hi, I was going to start my own tread on how to collect seed from my butterfly bush. but seen this one.
I bought my plant when it was really really small. Really didn't expect much from it this year. I was tickled pink when I got home from vacation and found it had bloomed.
Mike, will have to keep my eyes open for a Buddleia, that is beautiful.

The BF plant I have, can I collect seeds from it? if so, how?
Connie

I never have actually collected seeds from them but they seem to have mini bean pods that open once dried and ripe.
So i suppose once the flower has finished and the green has started to change to brown pick of the flower stalk and put it somewhere dry in a paper bag to catch any seeds.
Hang on i'll check

okay, waiting :o)

all the info i have is info buddleja davidii and says sow at 10oC in autumn and protect from frost in the first winter or in spring. Will flower in the first year. I wonder if the colours don't come true from seed.
Honestly try cuttings. They are the easiest things you will ever take cuttings from.

So when you take cuttings, you just place them in water to root???? I am really new to all of this. Also where is the best place to cut?
Connie

Hiya
In the late autumn or winter Cut a woody piece below a leaf joint remove the leaves from this joint. Leave either 1 or 2 sets of leaves above this and push 2 to 3 inches into a gritty or sandy compost. If you do about 5 per pot even if something goes wrong you are bound to have 1 grow.
They should flower the next summer I usually nip the tops every couple of leaves, to keep them bushy.

I never use just water to root stuff. Its really a bad way as most things will just rot off. But you dont need any equipment they should root in the garden soil. Try and keep the around 15oC.

k and thanks mike.

Nah worries

Sorry, I have not replyed sooner. I knew about cutting the buds back after they bloom. Sorry I do not have a camera to send pics of my potted butter fly bushes. Trying to grow cuttings, from mine is not possible at this time, my Mom lives about 600 miles from me. So, will try collecting the last buds off them in the fall, and mailing them to her.Thanks for all the other replys, Dave963

dave963

I have the 'BiColor Butterfly Bush' and can do some cuttings for your Mom, and you also, if you'd like. LMK...seriously!!!

Jan

Jan, would you have extra cuttings of your bicolor butterfly bush? Have never seen that plant before.

Maxine

Maxine, The picture is just a little 'off" but it is still bicolor and quite colorful! The 'eye' of each individual flower is a butterscotch color and the flower is a raspberry/lavender.

But, "YES", I can send you some cuttings but I suggest that it probably would be best if you were able to 'overwinter' the baby plant in the house and then plant it out in the spring. Would that work for you??? If so, I can send you some cuttings next week.

LMK! and, have a good weekend...

Jan

This message was edited Sep 15, 2006 8:28 AM

Jan, can I get back to you on the time for the cuttings to be sent. We are leaving on Tues. the 19 for our daughters in NM and will be back sometime during the first week of Oct. No definite date set yet.
Hope this meets with your dead line. And yes, I can winter them over in the house. Two yrs. ago we were visiting friends in Idaho, saw 2 orange iris that I just couldn't live without. Came home and planted them and kept them in the house over winter. No growth, but they did survive and bloomed the following spring when set out.

Just wanted to say Jan that that is a *gorgeous* bloom. Where did that variety come from?! I'd say Venus. It's too beautiful.

I'm trying to grow 'Black Knight', it's supposedly hardy in my zone, but I haven't seen any growth in the 5+ weeks since it's been planted. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

~Gina

Maxine: that'll be fine...by the time you get back the cuttings will be rooted, ready and waiting!!!

Gina: as I had mentioned to Maxine the color isn't as brilliant as the pix but it is a beauty. What kind of temps are you having right now? That could be a factor in it's 'stubborness' in growing. Do you have it in full sun? Perhaps, the plant would be happier in partial sun/shade??? I got the plant from Park Garden 3 yrs ago and I was pleasantly surprised when this little itty, bitty plant bloomed and it was only about 1 ft tall :) I have seen other places offering the BiColor but when something is new...$$$!
Anyhoo, since I'm going to be rooting cuttings for Maxine I am going to be presumptious and I will also root some cuttings for you. I love sharing plants and, perhaps when your 'Black Knight' decides to quit being sulky, you could send me cuttings (next year would be more than fine so don't rush...ok?!).

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Jan

Hi Jan,
It's growing in part shade right now. When I looked at it today, I did discover a new stem, so I'm very happy about that.
That's so sweet of you to offer! I don't know how well that would do in my climate, but I would definitely love to give it a try! Thank you for presuming ;) !!

My plant is tiny right now -under a foot- so I don't even know when it would be ready to give healthy cuttings. It has bloomed a few times already, though. A couple more plants that I've repotted are also being stubborn about growing right now, but I think it may be the daily showers. Temps here tend to be steadier: we're usually low 80s throughout the year until winter when we get some cool temps... humidity varies.

I'm really excited now! If the plant is even half as beautiful as it looks in the pic, it's still a gem! Thank you sooo much. :)
~Gina
My weekend is already brighter; hope yours goes beautifully!!!

Gina: this is how I do my cuttings in 'wet floral foam'...I've got cuttings started for you and Maxine. I am doing the rooting inside as our weather is 'weird'. Should be ready to mail to you by the end of October.

pix #2

cuttings started in the foam

close-up of cuttings

Dave963: my offer still stands...do you want me to send you some cuttings for you AND your Mom...LMK! NO OBLIGATION on your part...

Jan

foam block with h. acetosella cuttings (see the roots coming thru?)...trade is ready to be sent! Very happy, unstressed, plant.

Just "ME", Jan

Hey Jan,
Thanks for the info- that all looks very professional! Did you use anything besides moist foam? Like perlite or vermiculite? Do you sit them in a sunny window? I only have a medium-light window where I can keep my cuttings safe from the kitties. ;)~
(I will also be cutting & rooting a Red Shield Hibiscus soon- mainly because I want it to be a very strong plant so it'll survive the hurricanes. But that way I can also put one outside my Grandmother's house.)

thanks,
~Gina

Good Morning, Gina! I've tried other methods of propogation but this method works the best for me. I 'was' keeping my cuttings in the foam outside where the plants could get rain and sunshine but our weather has changed, drastically, in the past couple of weeks. There's even talk of frost tonite!!!. Soooo...I'm in the process of moving my cuttings inside where they get a (window) southern exposure and I just have to remember to monitor the moisture content of the foam. I do, occasionally, put cuttings in water (with a little bit of 3% hydrogen peroxide added) but that's just until I can get them in the prepared foam.

Just "ME", Jan



(We had a 'bad'/sad/heartbreaking year (last year) with our kitties. We HAD four but are now down to 1. My only female kitty (CeCe), 9 yrs. young, passed on to the rainbow bridge (kidney failure) in March. Exactly ONE WEEK LATER Georgie, 13 yrs., joined his sister (congestive heart failure due to diabetes) and, 2 days before Thanksgiving, Misty (14 yrs.) joined them...)

Thanks for the info- my grandmother has floral foam, so I think I'll try it!

Sorry to hear about your cats- I completely understand. Election day 2004 was when we had to put down the first of my 2 sibling cats (both also kidney failure)... this year his sister passed on. We'd had them since I was 7 (1990), so they were a huge loss. Most recently has been my Grandmother's cat, Honey, who we believe was at least 19.

In 2004, though, we also found a stray Maine Coon who just came up and jumped into grandma's arms... so he came when he was needed. ;) He also felt the loss when the 2nd sibling was put down, and he seemed really depressed and was getting a little fat. So we adopted a girl about his age, who also literally jumped into our laps, and she's been the perfect playmate. They make us laugh constantly. And all those things that go "bump" in the night only make me smile- my family seems whole again, I hope yours does too, or that it will soon.
[Having these cats makes the healing process easier... we never forget the ones we've lost.]
~Gina

What a wonderful story! I was really broken up for a long time---just recently I've been able to talk about my lost babies (without breaking down). When I met my DH 9 years ago he had 2 beagles and I had the 4 kittys (2 sets of litter mates). I wasn't a "dog person" and he wasn't a "cat person" but, we fell in love and married and he came to love the kittys and vice versa.

Georgie (Maine Coon) had to have insulin injections 2X daily. He was really good with that cause he knew he'd get a special treat after. He was the sweetest kitty and became my DH's best buddy. G would go camping with us and he and "the girls" (our special names for our girl beagles) got along really well.

Misty, G's litter mate brother, was part Blue Russian, had the extra toes and would talk to us when he would jump on our shoulder(s) for 'loving'. M liked to lay in the bathroom sink while I would get ready for work.

CeCe, as I had mentioned, was our only girl kitty and the littlest 'creature' in the family but had the biggest attitude (part siamese with pretty blue eyes). She was known as the "Queen Bee" :) Now, Dusty, her litter mate brother, is an 'only' kitty.

We don't have the 'original' beagles but we do have 2 'new' beagle girls, Molly, 6 yrs (adopted at 8 mos.) and Maggie, 5 1/2 yrs. Maggie, adopted at 6 wks., was my very first puppy experience (..."PUPPY LOVE" BIG TIME!!!...).

I know this is OT (on this forum) but here's a pix of my girls and then...back to "plant" talk :)
Molly is "top", Maggie "bottom":