Known for being deer-resistant, Stephanandra incisa yields showy white flowers, which bloom on coral stems among maple-like leaves on arching branches. In fall, leaves turn yellow and orange. It's a great choice in a rocky boulder area and it'll really hold a hillside for you, says Tegland.
If you're looking for a conversation piece, this eye-catcher is the shrub for you. And while you can prune weeping white pine (Pinus strobus 'pendula') to keep it low, it will also grow tall enough to stand out all winter long, even in deep snow. "While the deer will eat a balsam fir, they almost never eat a white pine," says Tegland.
Plant Dapper White butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii 'Dapconwhi') in your yard and watch as hummingbirds and butterflies flock to it. "A rounded, compact habit makes this buddleia a perfect fit for a variety of uses," says Heidi Mortensen, brand manager for Bloomables. "White flowers are formed in early summer and continue to re-bloom into the fall. Spent flowers are hidden by new blooms, reducing the need for deadheading."
An upright grower, CranRazz butterfly bush (Buddleia hybrid 'Boscranz') will fill your landscape with show-stopping color. "Extremely free-flowering, this plant blooms from spring until mid-fall," says Mortensen. "Panicles grow an amazing 8 inches long and attract butterflies and hummingbirds."
With an ever-changing blend of red, magenta, and burgundy, Miss Molly butterfly bush (Buddleia 'Miss Molly') blooms in midsummer and continues until frost arrives. "Miss Molly grows quickly and needs very little care to continue flowering year after year," says Kelly Funk, president Jackson & Perkins. "Cut it down to about one-third of its original height in late winter and early spring to improve branching and flower production and let it go."
This heat-tolerant flowering shrub has a compact growth habit and is water-wise once established. "With Ultra Violet butterfly bush (Buddleia Hybrid 'PDSI-1'), pollinator enthusiasts can incorporate a butterfly bush into tight spaces that previously werenβt accessible," says Janet Sluis, plant expert for the Sunset Plant Collection.
Butterfly Towers Magenta Buddleia (Buddleia davidii βTobud1305β) is a unique vertical growing butterfly bush variety with vibrant magenta flowers. "This butterfly bush is easy to care for and has an attractive vertical growth habit," says Linda Vater, plant expert for the Southern Living Plant Collection. "It's a perfect silhouette for hedges, screens, or a focal point in an area. The panicles of sweet-smelling blooms also make a lovely cut flower."
Miss Ruby butterfly bush (Buddleia x 'Miss Ruby') has blue-green leaves that give rise to ruby red flowers from the end of May to the first frost. "The ruby red flowers are held on 4- to 6-inch panicles and cover the plants from head to toe," says Adrienne Roethling, garden director for Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden.
Variegated plants are a wonderful way to add more interest to your landscape, and Summer Skies butterfly bush (Buddleia x 'Summer Skies') rings true to that statement. The cultivar has subtle green and creamy margined leaves, which stay variegated all summer long. "Lavender blue spikes of flowers await the butterflies all summer," says Roethling.
Part of a series of butterfly bushes with short growing habits, Purple Haze (Buddleia x 'Purple Haze') was one of the first of its kind to hit the market. "Blue-green leaves emerge from bare stems in spring giving rise to pale purple, arching flowers," says Roethling. "This one has more of a loose habit overall."