I heard Howard mentioned that butterfly bushes should be cut back last month or perhaps November. I started outside to do that only to find that oodles of birds were using those bushes (and my rose bushes) as protection and a kind of "relief station" from the cat that roams our neighborhood and from a new visitor, a hawk! My backyard garden would never be found in Better Homes & Gardens (it's planted for the birds & myself to enjoy) so I don't mind the bushes growing toward and extending over the walkways, etc. The birds are so much more important to me than the looks of those bushes. I'll probably trim the bushes before they bloom, but that's all. Does it hurt the plant not to cut it back like I should? Can I leave them (with minor trimming) as they are so the birds can enjoy having a place to get away from the cat and hawk?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

What you may want to do is just pick prune some of the plant back, leaving the safe haven for the birds, yet still stimulating the plant and "cleaning" it up a bit. I'm with you on the natural aspect, I don't usually prune much back unless the old growth doesn't start to leaf out in the spring - then I trim. The landscapers came through here when I was closed last week and cut all the lantana back to the ground - groan - but oh well. I know it will come back, but it sure looked neat as far as some winter structure. Hope that helps - and I'm sure your birds love you for it!

Yes, it does. And thank you very much for your reply. And I know the birds will approve, too! My butterfly bush (one of them) is so big, so I'll just trim it accordingly when we have more warm weather. Thanks again for the tip.

Your butterfly bushes will do fine. They just might not bloom as frequently, heavily, nor with the largest size possible for their type. I usually trim mine in late Feb to early March. The tender growth of butterfly bushes can freeze back easily, so you don't want to do it if a hard freeze is on the horizon. They grow quickly, so don't be afraid to cut back a good third. I ususally cut mine back to where the new growth is coming in at the bottom of the plant.