One of my guilty pleasures in the garden has been my butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii). It was strategically placed on a corner of the house where it could visually separate the main part of the yard from the work corner. It worked beautifully!Five years ago it was placed on Oregon's noxious weed list. Every time this list is published I feel pangs of guilt knowing I have one in my yard. I've been diligent about deadheading it, which is quite a feat considering it gets about 10' tall by 6-8' wide in the summer. Thankfully, you can easily pull down the branches and clip them. Last growing season (2008) I was not that diligent. I got lazy and didn't deadhead at all.
This spring, as I'm doing my garden clean-up/weeding, I'm finding little volunteer bushes...even in the cracks between the pavers. Yikes!
Since the bush is cut down to the ground (or as near as possible) each year, I decided that while it was small(ish), it was time for it to go. So, Brian, thinking he'd dug the last hole in the garden when we replaced the magnolia tree last month, got to dig again. He's a great guy, especially considering yard work is not his thing!
Replacing the butterfly bush is a (for now) tiny little Mexican orange (Choisya ternata) plant. I chose this because it's a fast evergreen grower that does well in our soil. I had one that was destroyed in the 08/09 winter storm. I had to cut it back to the ground as every branch was broken. It may come back..only time will tell. Because of that loss, the replacement for the butterfly bush easily came to mind.
With the noxious weed out of the yard, I can breathe easier, knowing I'm not the source of any more noxious plants!
Click here for other Oregon noxious weeds.
Click here for all other states' noxious weeds.
2 comments:
Ok, I feel guilty too, but it's such a wonderful plant when it isn't clogging the waterways. I planted one in my last garden and not in this one I have now. BUT the neighbors on two sides have them and I have little sproutlings and I am letting one grow. The beneficials love them. I just can't let go of that.
I won't buy one again but I can't help enjoying the ones that surround me.
I know...I love them too! I do have a different variety (honeycomb, maybe?) It's a yellow one, and not considered noxious. I'm going to miss the big purple one this year!
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