Bouncing Bet

Questions about bouncing Bet

Does bouncing Bet need sun or shade?

Bouncing Bet grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does bouncing Bet grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 9. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does bouncing Bet flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late June to early September. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should bouncing Bet be planted?

18 in (45 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 24 in (60 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 24 in (60 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many bouncing Bet plants do I need?

At 18 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 5 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 7 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 17 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

Is bouncing Bet poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. All parts contain saponins, which cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten. It is poisonous to horses and cattle.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

What can I plant instead of bouncing Bet?

Bouncing Bet is listed as invasive in parts of North America (1 listing), so the planner never uses it. These do the most similar job, and are native:

• Purple coneflower: the same job in a bed, the same flowering time and the same colour; 12 in taller.
• Black-eyed Susan: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same flowering time; yellow, not pink.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat bouncing Bet?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will bouncing Bet spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is high. Spreads aggressively by underground runners and by seed, and is invasive on roadsides and in pastures. Listed as a noxious weed in Colorado and as invasive in several other states.

It is listed as invasive in parts of North America, and the planner never chooses it.

What flowers after bouncing Bet?

Bouncing Bet is over by early September. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Garden chrysanthemum: from mid September to late October, 24 in tall.
• Bottle gentian: from late August to early October, 20 in tall.
• October daphne: from mid September to late October, 8 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does bouncing Bet look like in winter?

Bouncing Bet dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.

Is bouncing Bet good for bees and butterflies?

Bouncing Bet is visited by pollinators and hummingbirds.