Pugster Blue Butterfly Bush

Pugster Blue® is an easy-to-care-for shrub that brings beauty and wildlife to your garden. It attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds with its striking blue flowers, while also resisting deer and rabbits. Thriving in full sun with low maintenance needs, this plant blooms from summer through fall on new wood. It's hardy in zones 5a to 9b and heat-tolerant in zone 9, making it suitable for various climates. Pugster Blue® is versatile, serving as a border plant, ground cover, or an eye-catching landscape feature, making it a valuable addition to any garden or landscape design.

• Watering Needs: Requires regular watering, especially on a weekly basis, or more often during extreme heat.
• Botanical Pronunciation: Pronounced as "PUHG-ster bloo."
• Plant Type: Categorized as a shrub.
• Deciduous/Evergreen: Deciduous, meaning it loses its leaves in the winter.
• Growth Rate: Displays a moderate growth rate.
• Average Landscape Size: Moderately sized, typically reaching a height of 24 inches and spreading 24-36 inches wide.
• Special Features:
• Full-sized Flowers on a Dwarf Plant: Despite its compact size, Pugster Blue® produces large, true-blue flowers that are normally seen on much larger plants.
• Continuous Bloomer: Blooms consistently from early summer through frost with fragrant, true-blue flowers, each featuring a charming yellow-orange center.
• Hardy and Winter Survival: Thanks to its robust and sturdy stems, it offers vastly improved hardiness and winter survival compared to other dwarf butterfly bushes.
• Top Three Reasons to Grow Pugster Blue® Butterfly Bush:
• True-Blue Flowers: Adds a rare and captivating true-blue color to any garden or landscape.
• Compact and Full-Sized Flowers: Produces full-sized flowers on its compact, dwarf frame.
• Winter Hardy: Its thick, sturdy stems ensure better winter hardiness in zone 5 compared to other dwarf butterfly bushes.
• Resists: Deer and rabbits.
• Foliage Colors: Green.
• Foliage Shade: Green.
• Light Requirement: Thrives in full sun, needing at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.
• Maintenance Category: Considered easy to care for.
• Bloom Time: Flowers from summer through fall.
• Hardiness Zones: Suitable for zones 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, and 9b.
• Heat Zones: Thrives in zone 9.
• Water Category: Requires low water levels and good drainage.
• Soil Fertility Requirement: Grows well in average soil.

Planting and caring for your Pugster Blue® butterfly bush is a straightforward and rewarding experience. To get started, select a sunny location in your garden where the plant can receive at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. Ensure that the soil has good drainage to prevent waterlogging, as these bushes prefer low to moderate moisture levels. When planting, dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball and place the plant at the same depth it was in the nursery container. Space multiple Pugster Blue® bushes about 36-48 inches apart to allow for their mature spread.

Watering is crucial during the initial establishment phase. Provide regular watering, especially in the first year, to help the plant develop a strong root system. Once established, these shrubs are considered drought-tolerant and require less frequent watering, making them a low-maintenance addition to your garden. While deadheading (removing spent flowers) is not necessary, it can encourage additional blooming. Pruning can be done in early spring to remove any dead or damaged growth and shape the plant to your preference, but avoid fall pruning in colder zones (5 and below). Fertilization needs are minimal; average soil fertility is usually sufficient to keep the Pugster Blue® thriving. With proper care, your Pugster Blue® butterfly bush will reward you with its fragrant, true-blue blooms from summer through fall and serve as a delightful addition to your garden or landscape.