Suggested Native Replacements:
- Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
- Black haw, Blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium)
- Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
- Common elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
- Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica)
- Highbush blueberry, Northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
- New jersey tea, Mountain snowbell (Ceanothus americanus)
- Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)
- Southern wild raisin, Possum-haw (Viburnum nudum)
- Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
- Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)
- Sweet pepperbush, Coastal white-alder (Clethra alnifolia)
- Virginia sweetspire, Virginia-willow (Itea virginica)
Common Name
Butterfly bush
Summer lilac
Plant Form
Shrubs & Small Trees
Region
Coastal
Piedmont
Mountain
Considered Invasive by the State of Virginia?
Yes
Threat Level
Low
Additional Info
Notes: Also known as Summer Lilac, this ornamental shrub was introduced from its native range in China in the early 1900s. Although sometimes recommended for butterfly gardens, it does not serve as a host plant for their larvae; however, it is a host for the destructive pest, brown marmorated stink bug. It is planted so extensively that it commonly escapes from gardens and is invasive through much of the U.S., including Arlington and Alexandria in Northern Virginia.
Control methods: Hand pull or cut off flowers before they seed
Species-specific links
Native Look-alikes
iNaturalist Research-grade Observations