Pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue'

Questions about pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue'

Does pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue' need sun or shade?

Pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled.

What zones does pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue' grow in?

USDA zones 4 to 8. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

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

When does pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers mid May to early October. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

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 pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue' be planted?

14 in (35 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 16 in (40 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 16 in (40 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue' plants do I need?

At 14 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

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

In a mixed border, plant it as runs of three or five along the front (or one even row, in a formal bed).

In the bed above, the planner used five in one group.

Is pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue' poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue'?

Pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue' is not native to North America. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Scarlet coral bells: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers late May to late July, red, pink or white, not lavender.
• Alpine aster: the same job in a bed and the same colour; 6 in shorter, flowers mid May to late June.
• Chives: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers mid May to mid June, purple, not lavender.

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

What flowers after pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue'?

Pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue' is over by early October. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Japanese onion 'Ozawa': from early October to early November, 10 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Chrysanthemum 'Sheffield Pink': from late September to early November, 2½ ft tall.
• Tatarian aster 'Jindai': from early October to early November, 4 ft tall.

What does pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue' look like in winter?

Pincushion flower 'Butterfly Blue' holds some of its leaves into winter, more in a mild year or a sheltered spot, and they look tired by March. Cut the old ones off as new growth starts.