I do not know how to ask this but to title it as such
I bought a butterfly bush a large growing one at Lowes last
fall on sale..It stayed green and compact all winter long
and we covered it with a cover on real cold nights then took
the cover off in day...it was beautiful green foliage all winter.

I trimmed it a little not much on March lst
and it has shot up 4 branches that are 5 foot tall
yet the bottom of the bush looks stunted compared to
the winter foliage and early spring..

There are some blooms on the 5 tall branches it has shot up
in late April and early May..

do I just leave the tall sparse branches with flower buds and
if it does not fill out round in to a nice tall bush, just dig it up
in late summer and dispose of it?

have you seen one do that?
I never have and I have 4 other butterfly bushes in the flower garden.

thanks
Sheridragonfly

Its doing what Butterfly Bushes do: growing long shoots and then flowering. You don't need to cover it in your zone; they are hardy even here in Reno. The large growing ones can reach 10 feet tall in just a few months in warm climates. Your's is looking very typical to me. You can cut it down to about a foot tall every winter and let it regrow in the spring - otherwise, in a couple years, it will eat your entire yard.

If your other Butterfly Bushes are not exhibiting this growth habit, it means they are different kinds than this one. Some are very neat and tidy and grow to just 5 or 6 feet. Some, like Royal Red, get huge.

Daisy

Thank you!
We usually prune March lst here..because we had 2 weeks of in the twenties in our area in Feb..

I had heard pruning in the fall ..october could harm a butterfly bush leaving its canes
open somewhat after cutting them to the cold or rain...at that time of year..

Is it okay to prune this one that will grow huge this year ..
prune it to 2 foot March lst?

I can not let it get out of hand as I do not have the strength to prune by hand huge canes..

I do have the smaller ones like Miss Ruby and Miss Molly...

Yes, cut it all the way down every spring. They bloom only on new growth so this spring, carefully cut out all the old growth.

My husband takes a chainsaw to them and they often end up just a couple inches tall. It doesn't seem to hurt them any or discourage them either.

okay on those big ones I know you have to cut back severely

the Miss Molly and Miss ruby I do not and they look great right now
and I only cut them back some..they grow about 4 foot tall here..
I do not cut them severely...had them 2 years now..