I've got two Buddleja plants in my garden that I usually cut back to about a meter high in the spring. I'm starting to wonder—if I don't prune them back hard, will they still produce flowers? There's one in the back that's grown into a nice bushy privacy screen, and I really don't want to prune it too much. Would it be alright to just give it a lighter trim in the spring instead?
2 Answers
Leaving your Buddleja unpruned can lead to a few issues. If your garden is windy, tall plants might get rocked by the wind. Also, flowers will mostly grow higher up as the plant gets taller. But hey, it’s your garden, so you can do what feels right for you!
For Buddleja, especially the ones with those long flower spikes, it's generally best to cut them back hard in spring so fresh growth can come up from the base. This way, you'll get flowers the same year. If you check the base in late winter, you’ll see new buds starting to form—ideal pruning timing!
Yeah, my garden is a bit exposed, so I think I'll trim it back in spring. They do grow back quickly!