Butterfly bush (Buddleja) is best described as which of the following?

Butterfly bush (Buddleja) is best described as which of the following?

• A. A deciduous shrub with glossy leaves and red flowers.
• B. A perennial herb with yellow blooms.
• C. A deciduous shrub known for showy, fragrant flower spikes that attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds. Prune in the spring after flowering.
• D. A shrub that flowers in late summer only.

Answer: (C)

Butterfly bush is a woody, deciduous shrub known for its long, showy, fragrant flower spikes that attract pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds. This combination—a shrubby growth habit, showy scented blossoms, and a strong appeal to nectar feeders—is what makes it stand out from the other options. It’s a plant that blooms in the warmer months, often over a long period, and the common maintenance practice is to prune in spring after flowering to control size and encourage fresh growth for the next bloom cycle. The other descriptions don’t fit: it’s not a perennial herb with yellow blooms, the plant is not primarily red-flowered, and it isn’t limited to blooming only in late summer.

Butterfly bush is a woody, deciduous shrub known for its long, showy, fragrant flower spikes that attract pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds. This combination—a shrubby growth habit, showy scented blossoms, and a strong appeal to nectar feeders—is what makes it stand out from the other options. It’s a plant that blooms in the warmer months, often over a long period, and the common maintenance practice is to prune in spring after flowering to control size and encourage fresh growth for the next bloom cycle. The other descriptions don’t fit: it’s not a perennial herb with yellow blooms, the plant is not primarily red-flowered, and it isn’t limited to blooming only in late summer.