Notice
During the hot summer months, all plants are shipped in full leaf and active growth. While we take
great care in packing, transit heat and confinement can cause temporary shipping shock such as minor
leaf wilt or yellowing. This is normal and recovery begins once plants are watered and acclimated
after arrival. For best results, unpack immediately upon delivery and keep plants well-watered in a
shaded area for several days before planting. We highly recommend buying 2nd day air service for all
Quart size plants and trees, so they will arrive faster during the heat of summer.
Bicolor Butterfly Bush
Regular price
$42.99
Zone Map
Plant Factory Direct
Bicolor Butterfly Bush
Description
Bicolor Butterfly Bush (Kaleidoscope)
The two-tone butterfly bush that turns an ordinary garden into a living pollinator show. Bicolor Butterfly Bush, also known as Kaleidoscope, produces distinctive flower spikes that blend soft lavender with golden peach. Add its sweet fragrance, fast growth, and steady summer-to-frost blooming, and you have a memorable focal point that is easy to enjoy and simple to grow.
Best Time to Plant: Spring or Fall
Order February–June or September–November for the strongest start. Summer and winter orders may be held until it's safe to ship.
BUDGET-FRIENDLY STARTER: Premium Quart
An established, nursery-grown plant with the same distinctive Bicolor genetics. The quart size is an approachable way to start a pollinator garden, create a border, or add a fragrant focal point that can grow quickly in the landscape.
Ready to grow something neighbors will ask about?
Choose your Premium Quart and bring home a one-of-a-kind color combination.
FILL MY BOX & SAVE 15%
1 plant = regular price
Buy 2 or more Bicolor Butterfly Bush plants = save 15%
Build a fuller butterfly border or repeat the color through your landscape. Fill My Box savings apply automatically at checkout.
Why Bicolor Butterfly Bush Is Trending in 2026
- Two-tone blooms: Lavender and golden-peach flowers create a color combination that stands apart from ordinary single-color butterfly bushes.
- Pollinator magnet: The large flower spikes draw butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees for a lively garden display.
- Long season of color: With regular care and deadheading, flowering can continue from early summer through frost.
- Fast landscape impact: This quick-growing shrub develops into a substantial 5 to 6 foot focal point.
- Low-fuss performance: Once established, it handles heat and dry conditions well and is naturally avoided by deer.
What This Plant Does For You
- Creates an instant conversation piece with unusual two-tone blooms and a sweet tropical fragrance.
- Brings more visible wildlife activity to your yard, from colorful butterflies to hummingbirds and helpful bees.
- Fills a sunny corner, mixed border, or foundation bed with height, movement, and months of color.
- Gives you a fast-growing shrub that can make a meaningful impact even when you start with a quart plant.
- Reduces the frustration of constant watering after establishment, thanks to its strong heat and drought tolerance.
Plant Highlights
- Botanical name: Buddleia x weyeriana 'Bicolor', also known as 'Kaleidoscope'
- Available size: Premium quart plant
- Mature size: Approximately 5 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide
- Bloom color: Two-tone soft lavender fading to golden peach
- Bloom size: Large flower spikes, approximately 8 to 10 inches
- Bloom season: Early summer through frost
- Hardiness zones: 5 to 9
- Light: Full sun to part shade, with at least 4 to 6 hours of sunlight preferred
- Water: Water regularly during establishment, then only during extended dry spells once established
- Growth habit: Fast-growing, deciduous shrub
- Wildlife value: Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees
- Additional benefits: Fragrant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant once established, deer resistant, and suitable for cut flowers
Add a little more color and a lot more garden activity.
Order one Premium Quart, or use Fill My Box to save 15% when you buy 2 or more.
Premium Features & Solutions
Want a garden that does not look like everyone else's? The lavender-to-golden-peach blooms give Bicolor a true centerpiece role, whether it anchors a cottage garden, brightens a foundation bed, or creates a dramatic corner planting.
Want more pollinator activity? The fragrant flower spikes provide a high-visibility landing place for butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees throughout the growing season.
Need a plant that can handle summer? Bicolor prefers well-drained soil and regular water while it establishes. After that, it is remarkably tolerant of heat and dry conditions.
Trying to avoid deer damage? Butterfly bushes are naturally avoided by deer, giving you a better chance to enjoy the blooms you planted.
Choose your size: This listing is built around the Premium Quart, an established nursery-grown plant that is easy to ship, easy to plant, and ready to develop quickly. Add multiple quart plants to repeat the color through a border, create a larger pollinator planting, and use the 15% Fill My Box savings when you buy 2 or more.
Smart Growing Guide
Beginner: Your simple first-season plan
- Pick the right spot: Choose a location with full sun to part shade, preferably receiving at least 4 to 6 hours of light.
- Plant it well: Dig a hole about twice as wide as the container and no deeper than the root ball. Set the plant at the same depth it was growing in the pot.
- Water deeply: Water thoroughly after planting. For the first month, water 2 to 3 times per week, then taper to weekly watering through hot weather.
- Mulch the root zone: Apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch around the plant, keeping mulch away from the stems.
- Prune at the right time: In late winter or early spring, cut stems back to about 12 to 18 inches. Bicolor blooms on new wood, so firm pruning encourages vigorous growth and flowers.
Advanced: Optimize growth and flowering
- Apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer in early spring to support strong growth and flower production.
- Deadhead spent flower spikes during the season to encourage additional blooms.
- Use a root-support product at planting if your soil is compacted or your site is prone to drought.
- Prune harder for a more compact shrub, or leave more framework for a taller backdrop.
- Pair with purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, Russian sage, salvia, or ornamental grasses for layered color and texture.
Pro Tips for Maximum Impact
- Plant near a patio, walkway, or seating area so you can enjoy the fragrance and watch pollinators up close.
- Use three or more plants to create a stronger color repeat and a more visible butterfly border. Buy 2 or more to use the 15% Fill My Box savings.
- Give the shrub room to reach its mature width, especially when using it as a corner focal point.
- Deadhead regularly during the growing season when you want the longest possible display.
- Cut back in late winter or early spring rather than trimming heavily during the main growing season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Bicolor Butterfly Bush different?
It produces flower spikes with a distinctive blend of soft lavender and golden peach rather than a single bloom color. The combination gives the plant a more unusual, high-impact look.
Is Bicolor Butterfly Bush fragrant?
Yes. The flowers produce a sweet fragrance that is especially enjoyable when the plant is placed near a patio, walkway, or outdoor seating area.
How large will it get?
At maturity, Bicolor Butterfly Bush can reach approximately 5 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide. Pruning can help keep it more compact or shape it as a taller backdrop.
What size plant will I receive?
This listing is for a Premium Quart plant. A quart is an established starter size that is smaller than a 1 gallon plant but can establish and grow quickly when planted and watered properly.
Does the quart plant have the same genetics as a larger plant?
Yes. The Premium Quart is the same Bicolor Butterfly Bush selection, started at a smaller size so you can plant it, establish it, and watch it develop in your landscape.
How does Fill My Box work?
One plant is charged at the regular price. When you buy 2 or more Bicolor Butterfly Bush plants, you save 15%, and the savings apply automatically at checkout.
Will it attract butterflies and hummingbirds?
Yes. The fragrant flower spikes are highly attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees, making this a strong choice for pollinator and wildlife gardens.
How much sun does it need?
Plant in full sun to part shade. For the strongest growth and flowering, aim for at least 4 to 6 hours of sunlight per day.
When should I prune it?
Prune in late winter or early spring before vigorous new growth begins. Cut stems back to about 12 to 18 inches to encourage sturdy new growth and abundant blooms.
Is it deer resistant and drought tolerant?
Butterfly bush is naturally avoided by deer. Water consistently during the first season, then reduce watering once the plant is established and provide supplemental water during extended dry periods.
TAKE ACTION NOW
Give your garden a focal point that brings color, fragrance, and pollinators together.
Bicolor Butterfly Bush is a fast-growing, nursery-grown shrub with a truly unusual bloom color. Start with one Premium Quart, or fill your box with 2 or more plants and save 15% automatically at checkout.
Order your Bicolor Butterfly Bush today and start growing your own butterfly display.
Ordering & Shipping
- Orders ship within 1 to 3 business days.
- Orders placed after Wednesday at 4:00 PM through Sunday ship the following Monday.
- Quart plants ship via 2nd Day Air for quick, safe arrival.
- Weather holds may be used during extreme temperatures above 95°F or below 34°F.
- Plant size varies by season. Blooms may be trimmed before shipping to protect the plant during transit and encourage stronger future growth.
- Free 2nd Day Air shipping is included for this Premium Quart listing.
- Shipping is currently open to zones 3 through 11. We do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.
Note: The images and videos on our site are the best way to show off our products and show how good we are as growers. Depending on the season you buy, you may get a plant that is smaller or bigger than the picture shows. The plant might bloom like it does on our site, but it might not. We cut off the blooms most of the time because they don't ship well. When you buy our plants, think of them as an investment in your future garden, and enjoy the process of seeing it grow to its fullest.