Can I Plant a Butterfly Bush Six Feet from a Crape Myrtle?

Growth Requirements

• Besides growing well in sunny locations, both crape myrtle and butterfly bush grow best in a moist but well-drained soil. A garden location with a fertile soil enriched with organic matter benefits both plant species. Avoid garden sites with soggy soils or that occasionally flood.

Size Issues

• Numerous cultivars of both crape myrtles and butterfly bushes exist, each potentially growing to different mature sizes. If the crape myrtle is an upright, tree-shaped specimen, more room for a nearby butterfly bush exists. Butterfly bushes are fast growing and mature anywhere from 3 to 10 feet tall and wide depending on cultivar. Choose a butterfly bush that matures to a size that is smaller than the crape myrtle and that will not spread into and crowd the tree's trunks. Butterfly bushes need hard pruning in early spring for them to rejuvenate and flower later in summer.

Planting Considerations

• If the crape myrtle tree is well established, digging a planting hole 6 feet away from the trunk for the butterfly bush may be difficult. Expect to sever or bounce off thick roots of the tree with the shovel. Also, if the crape myrtle tree's canopy is wide and casts shade, it won't make sense to plant the butterfly bush on the northern side of the tree. Try to site the bush on the southern side of the tree so it receives as much direct sunlight at possible. In hot summer regions or where irrigation isn't available, consider planting the burning bush on the southeast or eastern side of the tree to provide light shade in mid-afternoon. Light shade prevents hot soil, wilting and yellowing leaves from inevitable drought stress.

Benefits

• From a design perspective, crape myrtle and butterfly bush make dynamic companion plantings. Both flower in the heat of summer and attract butterflies to the garden. Both plants demonstrate drought tolerance that helps conserve water once the plants are established. Placing organic mulch 3 inches in depth over the root zone of the crape myrtle and butterfly bush conserves moisture, moderates soil temperatures, deters weeds and decomposes to provide nutrients.