Fall Shipping Notice
Fall is one of the best times to plant. As temperatures cool, plants naturally begin entering dormancy. Depending on the variety, your plant may arrive with fall color, partial leaf drop, or bare stems. This is normal seasonal behavior and does not mean the plant is unhealthy.
Fall planting gives roots time to establish while the soil is still warm, helping plants get a stronger start when new growth begins in spring.
Butterfly Candy, Li'l Grape™
Regular price
$42.99
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Plant Factory Direct
Butterfly Candy, Li'l Grape™
Description
Butterfly Candy® Li'l Grape™ Butterfly Bush
Buddleia davidii 'BotEx 001' · PP34515
Turn a sunny corner into a purple-flowered gathering place for butterflies. Li'l Grape™ delivers fragrant, deep purple flower spikes from late spring to frost on a compact shrub that matures just 2–3 feet tall and wide. Enjoy big garden color without giving up precious space in your border or patio planting.
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.
BEST VALUE: Premium Quart — Small Plant, Big Garden Potential
Start with a well-rooted, nursery grown Li'l Grape™ in a quart pot, approximately 4–6 inches tall. This manageable size is easy to plant and ideal for building a colorful border or starting a sunny patio display.
Choose the quart for the compact purple butterfly bush you want, with room to grow into its beautiful mature shape.
Ready to start your butterfly garden? Choose your Li'l Grape™ quart and add it to your cart.
FILL MY BOX & SAVE 15%
Bring more purple color to your garden with Li'l Grape™ Butterfly Bush plants and save 15% with Fill My Box.
Create a repeating border or a grouped planting of this same compact, fragrant favorite.
What Makes This Plant a Good Choice
- Compact 2–3-foot mature size fits small gardens and sunny patio containers.
- Fragrant, deep purple blooms with a violet eye add color from late spring to frost.
- Nectar-rich flowers attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.
- Heat tolerance and lower water needs after establishment simplify summer care.
- Deer resistance helps protect your planting, though no plant is deer-proof.
What This Plant Does For You
- Turns an empty sunny spot into a colorful focal point.
- Brings pollinator activity close to your patio or favorite garden-viewing window.
- Adds soft fragrance where you can enjoy it while walking through the garden.
- Creates a coordinated border without the height of a full-size butterfly bush.
- Gives you a rewarding young plant to nurture into a rounded flowering shrub.
Plant Highlights
- Plant type: Deciduous flowering shrub.
- Mature size: 2–3 feet tall and wide.
- Flowers: Fragrant deep purple spikes with a violet eye; late spring to frost, depending on climate.
- Hardiness: USDA Zones 5–10, root hardy.
- Light: Full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sun daily.
- Soil: Well-drained, average to enriched soil.
- Water: Consistent moisture during establishment; lower needs once established.
- Size as shipped: Quart pot; approximately 4–6 inches tall with a well-developed root system.
Make room for season-long purple color. Add your Premium Quart Li'l Grape™ to your cart.
Premium Features & Solutions
Color for smaller spaces: A rounded, compact habit makes Li'l Grape™ a natural fit for the front of sunny borders, walkway plantings and cottage gardens.
A patio-friendly pollinator stop: Grow it in a generously sized container with drainage holes to enjoy fragrant blooms and visiting butterflies nearby.
Less fuss after establishment: Heat tolerance, optional deadheading and tolerance of dry spells make this a practical choice for busy gardeners. Good drainage is essential.
Choose Your Size
Premium Quart is the featured best-value choice for this page. You receive a well-rooted young plant, not a mature 2–3-foot shrub. Compared with a larger nursery container, a quart starts with less top growth and a smaller root ball, making it easy to handle while allowing you to enjoy the growing process. Container size affects the starting size, not the variety's mature size.
Smart Growing Guide
Beginner Guide: Your First Steps to Success
- Choose a sunny location with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight and soil that drains well.
- Water the quart plant before removing it gently from its pot.
- Dig a hole about twice as wide as the root ball and no deeper. Set the root-ball surface level with the surrounding soil.
- Backfill gently and water thoroughly to settle the soil around the roots.
- Add 2–3 inches of mulch, keeping it away from the stems. Keep soil moist but never soggy while roots establish.
- Space plants 2–3 feet apart for a repeating border. Check soil moisture regularly rather than relying on a fixed watering schedule.
For patio growing, move your quart into a container at least 14–16 inches wide with drainage holes and quality potting mix.
Advanced Guide: Optimize Growth & Flowering
- Prioritize drainage. Use a raised bed or a gently elevated planting area where heavy soil holds moisture.
- Water deeply, then allow soil to begin drying before watering again. Adjust for rainfall, heat and container conditions.
- Feed lightly in spring with a balanced slow-release shrub fertilizer according to its label. Avoid excess feeding that promotes soft growth.
- Prune in early spring as growth resumes. Remove dead stems and cut back to healthy buds; colder climates may see winter stem dieback with regrowth from the roots.
- Remove faded flower spikes if desired to encourage fresh blooms. Protect container-grown roots over winter, especially in Zones 5–6.
Pro Tips for Maximum Impact
- Plant a group of three or five Li'l Grape™ shrubs for a cohesive sweep of purple.
- Position plants near a patio or window so you can enjoy visiting pollinators.
- Keep the planting site sunny and the root zone well drained for stronger growth.
- Check patio pots frequently in summer; containers dry faster than garden beds.
- Give your quart time to establish before expecting the full mature display.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click arrow to open Answers
How big does Li'l Grape™ Butterfly Bush get?
Expect a compact shrub approximately 2–3 feet tall and wide at maturity. Allow room for its rounded shape.
How does a quart compare with a larger nursery size?
A quart is a younger, smaller starting plant with less top growth and a smaller root ball than a larger container-grown specimen. This page features the Premium Quart as the best-value choice. The container size does not change Li'l Grape™'s mature size.
What size plant will I receive?
One well-rooted quart-size Li'l Grape™ plant, approximately 4–6 inches tall. Seasonal growth and trimming can affect its appearance when it arrives.
What is the Fill My Box savings offer?
The Fill My Box callout above features 15% savings on Li'l Grape™ Butterfly Bush plants. Use that callout as the reference for this product's promotion.
When will it bloom?
Its bloom season runs from late spring through fall, often until frost. Timing varies with climate, planting date and establishment. Your shipped plant may not be in bloom.
Can I grow it in a patio pot?
Yes. Use a container at least 14–16 inches wide with drainage holes and quality potting mix. Give it full sun and check soil moisture often.
Does it need full sun?
Yes. At least 6 hours of direct sun daily helps support strong stems and abundant flowers.
Is it deer resistant and pollinator friendly?
Deer seldom browse butterfly bushes, but hungry deer can sample any plant. The fragrant flowers attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.
How much water does it need?
Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy while the plant establishes. Established plants tolerate dry spells, but prolonged hot, dry weather and container growing require closer attention.
Do I need to prune or deadhead it?
Prune in early spring as new growth resumes, removing dead stems and cutting back to healthy growth. Deadheading is optional, but removing spent flower spikes can encourage more blooms.
Will it survive winter?
Li'l Grape™ is root hardy in Zones 5–10. Stems may die back in colder climates. Container-grown plants need extra root protection, particularly in Zones 5–6.
Take Action Now
Start your next season of fragrant purple flowers with a nursery grown Premium Quart Li'l Grape™ Butterfly Bush. Plan your sunny planting spot now and give your young plant time to establish.
Choose your quart and add Li'l Grape™ to your cart today.
Ordering & Shipping
You will receive one quart-size Li'l Grape™ Butterfly Bush, approximately 4–6 inches tall, with a well-developed root system, ready to plant in the garden or a larger container.
Order February–June or September–November for the strongest start. Summer and winter orders may be held until it's safe to ship. Plant size and appearance vary with the season; flowers may be removed for shipping.
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.