Pugster Blue® Butterfly Bush

Buddleia x 'SMNBDBT'

Proven Winners®

Compact Pugster Blue Butterfly Bush Delivers Full-Size Lavender-Blue Flowers Year After Year
Thrives in Zones 5-9
Sweetly Fragrant Flowers
Pollinator-Friendly Shrub
Stunning Green Fall Foliage

$26¹⁴

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Plant Size

Quart Container #1 Container #3 Container

Product variants

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

Sunlight: This shrub requires at least 6 to 8 hours of full, direct sun every day. While it can survive in partial shade, you will notice fewer flowers and a less vibrant blue color if it does not get enough light.
Soil: It thrives in loose, well drained soil that does not hold standing water. If you have heavy clay, mix in some organic compost or plant it in a slightly raised mound to ensure the roots do not rot.

Watering Requirements

During the first year, water your Pugster Blue® deeply twice a week to help the roots reach deep into the soil. Once the plant is established, it is quite drought tolerant, but providing a deep soak during the hottest weeks of summer prevents the blooms from wilting early. If watering is inconsistent, the flower spikes may be smaller and the plant might shed its lower leaves.

Pruning Tips

This variety blooms on "new wood," which means the flowers grow on the fresh stems produced in the current year. The best time to prune is in late winter or early spring just as new growth begins to emerge. Cut the entire plant back to about 12 inches from the ground to encourage a flush of vigorous new stems and a tidy, mounded shape.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow release fertilizer once in early spring to fuel the heavy blooming season. Avoid using high nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer, as this encourages soft green growth that can be easily damaged by the first frost of winter.

Delivery and Shipping

Shipping Rates

Ships in 7-10 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

Understanding Our Container Sizes

At Nature Hills, our plants are sold in industry-standard nursery containers. You will notice we use the word "container" rather than "gallon." Container numbers follow a nursery trade size standard, not liquid volume. The number tells you the plant's size category and general maturity level. A larger container means a more established plant with a stronger root system.

Container Sizes

Quart

Plant age: 6 months to 1 year
Best for: Ground covers, perennials, ornamental grasses
What to expect: Our smallest and most affordable size. Well-suited for planting in multiples across a large area. Allow 1 to 2 seasons for full establishment.

#1 Container

Plant age: 1 to 2 years
Best for: Shrubs, perennials, smaller trees
What to expect: About the size of a large coffee can. A well-developed root system in a manageable size. Good value choice when you have time to let the plant grow into the space over a season or two.

#2 Container

Plant age: 2 to 3 years
Best for: Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment
What to expect: A noticeable step up from a #1 in both plant size and root development. Good choice when you want visible presence without going to a larger size.

#3 Container

Plant age: 3 to 4 years
Best for: Most plants, most situations — flowering trees, shade trees, evergreen shrubs
What to expect: Our most popular size. Strong, developed root system. Plants in a #3 container make an immediate visual impact from day one. If you want a head start rather than waiting seasons for a plant to fill in, this is typically the right choice.

#5 Container and Larger

Plant age: 4 to 5+ years
Best for: Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact
What to expect: Large, mature plants ready to make an immediate statement in your landscape. We also carry #7 and larger sizes for select varieties.

Why "Container" and Not "Gallon"?

Nursery container sizes follow an industry trade standard established for the nursery and horticulture industry. The number is a size designation, not a measurement of liquid volume. Actual soil volume varies by plant type, root mass, and growing medium. Using "container" is the accurate industry term. When you see #1, #2, or #3, think of it as the plant's size tier, not a gallon measurement.

Root Pouch Containers

Some Nature Hills plants arrive in a Root Pouch, a breathable fabric container made from 100% recycled materials. Root Pouches encourage denser root development through air pruning, which discourages root circling and promotes a stronger, more fibrous root ball at the time of planting.

Plants growing in Root Pouch fabric containers, showing the breathable woven fabric construction

There are two types. Knowing which one you have changes how you plant:

Degradable (brown or tan fabric): Plant the entire pouch directly in the ground. The fabric breaks down naturally in the soil over time.
Non-degradable (black or gray fabric): Remove the pouch before planting. Cut the bottom open with scissors, then peel the sides away. The fibrous root ball will hold its shape.

Not sure which type you have? Check the tag on your plant or contact us and we will confirm.

Full Root Pouch planting guide

Choosing the Right Size

Size	Plant Age	Best For
Quart	6 mo to 1 yr	Ground covers, perennials, grasses. Budget-friendly for mass plantings.
#1 Container	1 to 2 yrs	Shrubs, perennials, small trees. Value choice for patient gardeners.
#2 Container	2 to 3 yrs	Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment.
#3 Container	3 to 4 yrs	Most plants. Immediate visual impact. Our most popular size.
#5 and larger	4+ yrs	Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact.

Still not sure which size is right for your project? Our plant specialists are happy to help. Contact us and we will point you in the right direction.

Plant specifications
Plant Characteristics	Attracts pollinators, Drought resistant, Flowering, Fragrant, Cold hardy
Sunlight	Full sun
Height	2-3 ft
Width	2-3 ft
Watering Needs	Low
Growth Rate	Moderate
Blooms In	Summer, Fall
Flower Color	Blue, Purple
Fragrant	Yes
Suitable Space	Outdoors, Indoors
Botanical Name	Buddleia x 'SMNBDBT'
Species	x
Cultivar	SMNBDBT
Class	Magnoliopsida
Does Not Ship To	AK, HI, ID, MT, OR, PR

The Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Pugster Blue® Butterfly Bush (Buddleia x 'SMNBDBT') is a totally new look for Butterfly Bushes! If you love butterflies in the garden then these pollinator magnets are going to be the biggest little thing to hit your garden this year!

Pugster Blue® flowers are a bright true lavender-blue with a tiny pop of orange in the center of each individual bloom. You can't help but stop and look! Its beauty might make it seem fragile, but this is one tough plant! It laughs at even the coldest zone 5 winter.

But do you want to know the best thing? Even though the plants are small, the flowers aren't! Pugster Blue® is covered with full-sized panicles that are the same size as bigger Butterfly Bushes and that have the same honey-sweet scent! You'll still have plenty left to please the legions of butterflies, Hummingbirds, and pollinators like honeybees and native bees that are coming to visit!

The compact mounds of aromatic gray-green foliage only grow 2-3 feet in height and width and will be brimming with drooping panicles of lavender-blue spires! Growing throughout USDA planting zones 5 to 9, handling heat, sun, deer, and even saline conditions!

Planting and Application:

Proven Winners® has developed a new line of Buddleia that are true space-savers, just right for beds, borders, and containers. Any small-space urban garden or courtyard in the sun will benefit from these showy blooms!

Perfect container garden shrubs, the bountiful fluffy flowers will be brimming over the container edges and bloom until fall! Perfume and enhance your garden seating areas, porches, and patios with these lavender-blue blooms!

As beautiful as a specimen in the Cottage Garden, these lovely blooms look great in the Cut Flower garden and are must-haves in the Pollinator garden! But these easy-natured blooming shrubs are just as beautiful en masse and in rows throughout your landscape! Create vivid backdrops and low-growing edging borders to tie your entire yard together!

Full-Sized True-Blue Honey-Scented Flowers
Aromatic Soft Foliage & Compact Mounds
Great in the Garden or Containers
Fragrant Cut Flowers & Pollinator Garden Plants
Containers & Planters, Courtyards & Small to Large Scale Gardens

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Butterfly Bushes are wonderfully easy to grow and all they ask for is full sun and steady water during their first year! Once established, Buddleia are low-water usage but do appreciate supplemental moisture during drought and the summer months to keep the flowers returning until frost. Provide a 3-4 inch deep layer of arborist mulch to support your shrub's root system. Like most butterfly favorites, this deciduous plant is drought tolerant and not on any deer's menu of favorite snacks.

Another Pugster® series Butterfly Bush, and there is no deadheading required to keep them blooming all summer for you! Go ahead and cut all of the flowers you want for bouquets! You will want to cut these plants back to the ground before spring, when grown in colder climates; acting more like an herbaceous perennial. For plants grown in warm growing zones, these woody shrubs only need an early spring trim will help ensure the best performance and best flowers.

Full Sun Shrub/Perennial
Well-Drained Soil
Moderate Moisture & Fertility
Prune to Ground Early Spring
No Deadheading Required

Add some color and motion to your garden this year and order your Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Pugster Blue® Butterfly Bushes from us today! Don't wait. These will go fast so hurry and order yours today at Nature Hills Nursery!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Pugster Blue® require full sun, partial sun, or can it tolerate shade?

Pugster Blue® Butterfly Bush thrives in full sun conditions. This compact shrub handles heat exceptionally well across zones 5-9 and produces its best flowering display with maximum sunlight. Plant in the sunniest spot available for abundant blooms that attract butterflies and pollinators.

How often should I water my newly planted Pugster Blue® and what are its drought tolerance levels?

Water newly planted Pugster Blue® deeply twice weekly for the first month, then weekly until established. This tough shrub handles drought well once mature in zones 5-9, tolerating heat and challenging conditions. Reduce watering frequency after the first season, allowing soil to dry between waterings.

Is this a fast-growing or slow-growing variety compared to other butterfly bushes?

Pugster Blue® grows at a moderate pace, reaching its compact mature size of 2-3 feet in height and width relatively quickly. This is slower than traditional butterfly bushes that can reach 6-10 feet. You'll see blooms the first season, with full size achieved within 2-3 years.

Is the Pugster Blue® Butterfly Bush deer resistant and rabbit resistant?

The Pugster Blue® Butterfly Bush is deer resistant but not specifically noted as rabbit resistant. This compact 2-3 foot shrub thrives in zones 5-9 and handles tough conditions including heat and sun. Plant in full sun locations where deer browsing is a concern for best results.

What are the best companion plants to pair with Pugster Blue® in my garden?

Pugster Blue® pairs beautifully with yellow coreopsis, white catmint, and ornamental grasses that share its 2-3 foot height and zone 5-9 hardiness. These companions create stunning color contrasts while attracting the same pollinators. Shop complementary perennials at naturehills.com to complete your butterfly garden.

Does this butterfly bush require annual pruning and when is the best time to prune?

Pugster Blue® benefits from annual pruning to maintain its compact 2-3 foot size and encourage abundant blooms. Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth begins in zones 5-9. Cut back by one-third to half for best flowering performance.

Pugster Blue® Butterfly Bush

Buddleia x 'SMNBDBT'