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Purple Blooming Shrubs in Charleston: Butterfly Bush vs Chaste Tree

Jun 9
1 min read

Updated: Jun 10


Butterfly bush pugster pink in a 3 gallon pot being held by a man in a meeting green shirt in charelston, sc.

Charleston is COVERED in purple blooms right now! If you're walking through the city in June, you're probably noticing Buddleia aka butterfly bush and Vitex agnus-castus aka chaste tree growing in all the gardens. These purple blooming shrubs appear similar (at first!) and are often used the same way in a landscape, but there are some key features differentiating them. Keep reading to learn more about Charleston's favorite purple blooming shrubs!




Butterfly bush features bright green leaves arranged in a simple leaf structure. Size and leaf color depends on the variety but leaves grow opposite each other on a woody stem. Butterfly bush blooms are cone shaped and droop downward, typically in a purple, pink, or white color. The shrubs grow 5-10 feet tall with long arching branches. They prefer full sun, well-draining soil, and are slightly drought tolerant once established.


  • close up of purple blooming shrub, butterfly bush, at meeting green in charleston, SC
  • bright green leaves of a purple blooming shrub, butterfly bush, at meeting green in charleston, SC
  • a man loading 3 gallon shrubs into a cart. purple blooming shrub, butterfly bush, at meeting green in charleston, SC
Buddleia 'Butterfly Bush': Pugster Pinker
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Buddleia 'Butterfly Bush': Black Knight
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Chaste tree also sports purple cone shaped blooms, but they point upward. These shrubs grow much larger, even reaching 10-20 feet and can be pruned into a small tree. The chaste tree leaves are a muted green color in a palmate compound arrangement, meaning they grow outward from a single point. These shrubs are also drought tolerant once established and thrive in full sun.


  • An overhead view of vitex, purple blooming shrub, butterfly bush, at meeting green in charleston, SC
  • close up of a flowers in the sun, purple blooming shrub, butterfly bush, at meeting green in charleston, SC
  • vitex, purple blooming shrub, butterfly bush, at meeting green in charleston, SC

Vitex 'Chaste Tree': Flip Side
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Vitex 'Chaste Tree': Shoal Creek
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Both butterfly bush and chaste tree make a statement in your pollinator garden and add a pop of color all summer long. Consider adding one of these purple blooming shrubs to your space today!

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