Hybrid

Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze

Antirrhinum majus

Wikimedia Commons

Also known as an azalea type, Madame Butterfly's double petals create full, fluffy blooms for a Victorian look. The rose-coral/apricot color has a bit more of a rose hue compared to Madame Butterfly Bronze. For outdoor or greenhouse production. Bloom time comparable to group 3-4 "main season" or "all season" varieties. Edible Flowers: The flowers are a colorful garnish for use in salads, desserts, and drinks. The flavor is floral and slightly bitter, so use sparingly.

Harvest

110-120d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun to partial shade

☀️

Zones

7–10

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

0-3 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Showing dates for Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze in USDA Zone 7

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Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze · Zones 7–10

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Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

Spacing18-24 inches

SoilWell-draining, slightly acidic to neutral soil; azalea-formulated mix preferred

WaterRegular; consistently moist but never waterlogged

SeasonWarm season annual

FlavorDistinctly floral with subtle bitterness; delicate and refined, requiring minimal use to avoid overpowering dishes.

ColorRose-coral with bronze undertones

Size3-4 "

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 1	May – June	July – August	July – September	—
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 3	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 4	March – April	June – June	June – July	—
Zone 5	March – April	May – June	May – July	—
Zone 6	March – April	May – June	May – July	—
Zone 7	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 8	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 9	January – February	March – April	March – May	—
Zone 10	January – January	February – March	February – April	—

Succession Planting

Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze is a hybrid annual that produces over a long season once established, so a single sowing covers most gardeners' needs — but two planned rounds will extend your display window. Start the first batch indoors in late February to early March (10–14 days to germination under grow lights), then transplant out in April once nighttime temps hold above 40°F. A second batch started indoors in late March and transplanted in May will pick up as the first planting winds down heading into fall.

Don't start new rounds after early June. These snapdragons slow down hard when daytime highs sit consistently above 85–90°F, and late-started plants won't build enough root mass to give you a decent fall flush before frost hits. In zones 9–10, flip the whole calendar: start indoors in September and transplant in October to run them as a cool-season crop.

Complete Growing Guide

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: High Organic Matter. Drainage: Good Drainage. Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 10 in.. Spacing: Less than 12 inches. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Medium.

Harvesting

Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze reaches harvest at 110 - 120 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 3-4 " at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.

A capsule, half hidden by calyx lobes, short-beaked.

Type: Capsule. Length: 1-3 inches.

Storage & Preservation

Fresh-harvested Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze blooms keep best refrigerated at 35-40°F in a shallow, airtight container lined with paper towels (which absorb excess moisture without bruising petals). Properly stored, blooms maintain quality for 3-5 days, though peak appearance and flavor occur within the first 48 hours.

For longer preservation, freeze whole flowers individually on parchment paper for 2 hours, then transfer to freezer bags with parchment layers separating each bloom. Frozen flowers last 2-3 months and work well for beverage garnishes and baking applications, though they become too soft for fresh culinary use.

Alternatively, dry petals by laying them in a single layer on parchment paper in a warm, dark, well-ventilated space (65-75°F) for 5-7 days until papery and brittle. Store dried petals in an airtight glass jar away from light and heat for up to 6 months. Dried petals intensify the floral-bitter flavor profile and work beautifully in herbal tea blends and as garnishes for cakes and desserts.

History & Origin

Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze is an F1 hybrid developed through controlled cross-pollination. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: Southwestern Europe

Advantages

+Double petals create full, fluffy Victorian-style blooms
+Rose-coral color with apricot tones offers unique appeal
+Edible flowers provide colorful garnish for culinary uses
+Easy difficulty level makes it suitable for beginners
+Comparable bloom time to main season group 3-4 varieties

Considerations

-Slightly bitter floral flavor requires sparing culinary use
-Requires outdoor or greenhouse production, not indoor friendly
-Double petals may trap moisture, increasing disease risk

Companion Plants

Marigolds — French types like Tagetes patula in particular — are the most useful neighbor here. They deter whiteflies through scent, not perfectly but consistently enough to be worth the bed space, and their shallow roots don't compete with snapdragons for water or nutrients. Sweet Alyssum is worth planting as a low border along the front: it pulls in parasitic wasps and hoverflies that prey on whiteflies and aphids, and at under 6 inches tall it won't shade out the Madame Butterfly spikes. Calendula pulls double duty as a trap crop — aphids pile onto it and leave the snapdragons alone — and the flowers are useful to cut on their own.

Nasturtiums are a slightly mixed story. They lure aphids away from more precious plants, but they sprawl, and at the 18–24 inch spacing snapdragons need, that sprawl becomes a crowding problem fast. Pin them back or give them a separate lane. Chives are a quieter choice: their allium compounds are thought to confuse thrips and aphids, they stay compact, and they don't ask much.

Black walnut is a hard no. Juglone — the allelopathic compound released by walnut roots and decomposing leaf litter — is phytotoxic to snapdragons, and symptoms (sudden wilting, blackened roots, slow decline) can look like a disease problem until you realize there's a walnut tree 30 feet away. Eucalyptus drops the same kind of trouble through its leaf litter. Neither tree is a neighbor these plants can tolerate.

Plant Together

Marigolds

Repel aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes while attracting beneficial pollinators

Nasturtiums

Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles, drawing pests away from snapdragons

Sweet Alyssum

Attracts beneficial insects like lacewings and parasitic wasps that control aphid populations

Petunias

Repel aphids, tomato hornworms, and other soft-bodied insects through natural compounds

Lavender

Deters aphids, moths, and mice while attracting beneficial pollinators like bees

Chives

Repel aphids and Japanese beetles with their strong sulfur compounds

Calendula

Attracts beneficial insects and can help reduce pest pressure on surrounding plants

Cosmos

Attract beneficial insects like lacewings and parasitic wasps that prey on common snapdragon pests

Keep Apart

Black Walnut

Releases juglone toxin that inhibits growth and can kill sensitive plants like snapdragons

Eucalyptus

Produces allelopathic compounds that suppress growth of nearby flowering plants

Sunflowers

Release allelopathic chemicals and compete aggressively for nutrients and water

Pests & Disease Resistance

Common Pests

Spider mites, azalea lace bugs, whiteflies

Diseases

Botrytis (gray mold), azalea leaf gall, powdery mildew

Troubleshooting Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Fine webbing on undersides of leaves, with stippled or bronzed foliage — usually showing up during hot, dry stretches

Likely Causes

Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) — thrives when temps push above 85°F and humidity drops
Dusty, dry conditions that let mite populations explode fast

What to Do

1.Blast the undersides of leaves with a strong jet of water every few days to knock mites off and disrupt breeding
2.Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil, coating the undersides thoroughly — repeat every 5 to 7 days for at least 3 applications
3.Keep the area around plants clear of debris, and water consistently so plants aren't drought-stressed going into hot weather

Gray, fuzzy coating on flowers or stems — petals turning soft and collapsing, especially after cool wet weather

Likely Causes

Botrytis cinerea (gray mold) — a fungal pathogen that spreads fast in cool, humid conditions with poor airflow
Spent blooms left on the plant, which give Botrytis an easy entry point

What to Do

1.Deadhead religiously — remove faded flowers before petals drop and sit on foliage
2.Space plants at least 18 inches apart to get air moving between them
3.If infection is active, remove and bag the affected tissue (don't compost it), then apply a copper-based fungicide according to label rates

White powdery coating on leaves and stems, spreading from older growth outward — worse in late summer

Likely Causes

Powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum or related species) — triggered by warm days, cool nights, and low airflow rather than wet conditions
Overcrowded planting that traps stale air around the foliage

What to Do

1.Thin or space plants to 18–24 inches so air circulates freely
2.Apply a diluted potassium bicarbonate spray (follow label) or a neem oil solution at first sign — don't wait until it covers the plant
3.Avoid overhead watering in the evening; water at the base in the morning

Pale, stippled patches on leaf surfaces with tiny dark specks on the undersides — leaves may curl or drop

Likely Causes

Azalea lace bug (Stephanitis pyrioides) — despite the name, it feeds on snapdragons and related plants, piercing cells on the leaf underside
Plants growing in full shade or under heat stress, which seem to attract heavier lace bug pressure

What to Do

1.Check the undersides of leaves early — the shiny black frass specks are easier to spot than the insects themselves
2.Apply insecticidal soap directly to the undersides of leaves where the bugs are feeding; repeat every 7 days until pressure drops
3.Shift susceptible plants to a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade to reduce stress, which can lessen lace bug attraction

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze take to bloom from seed?▼

Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze typically reaches peak bloom 110-120 days after sowing, assuming seeds are started indoors 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost and transplanted outdoors after frost danger passes. Greenhouse conditions may accelerate flowering by 1-2 weeks. For faster results, purchase nursery transplants, which can flower within 6-8 weeks of planting.

Can you grow Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze in containers?▼

Yes, this variety thrives in containers 12-18 inches deep with drainage holes. Use high-quality potting mix amended with perlite, maintain consistent moisture without waterlogging, and fertilize every 2-3 weeks once buds form. Container-grown plants may require more frequent watering than in-ground plantings and benefit from afternoon shade in hot climates.

Is Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze good for beginners?▼

Yes, this is a beginner-friendly variety with straightforward care requirements. The main challenge is providing adequate air circulation to prevent fungal disease—ensure plants are 18-24 inches apart and placed in breezy locations. Avoid overwatering and overhead watering, and beginners will find this hybrid azalea reliable and rewarding.

What's the difference between Madame Butterfly and Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze?▼

The primary difference is color: standard Madame Butterfly features rose-apricot tones, while Cherry Bronze has more pronounced rose-coral coloring with bronze undertones, creating a deeper, more sophisticated appearance. Both share identical growing requirements, bloom timing, and flower structure. Choose based on aesthetic preference and landscape color coordination.

Can you eat Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze flowers?▼

Yes, the flowers are edible and work beautifully as garnishes for salads, desserts, and beverages. The flavor is distinctly floral with subtle bitterness, so use sparingly—a few petals garnish a plate or drink far better than a full bloom. Harvest in early morning, use within 24-48 hours for peak flavor and appearance, and ensure no pesticides were applied.

How much sun does Madame Butterfly Cherry Bronze need?▼

This variety thrives in 4-6+ hours of direct sunlight daily but tolerates partial shade exceptionally well—a key advantage over sun-hungry ornamentals. In zones 8 and warmer, afternoon shade is beneficial, preventing petal bleaching and heat stress. Too little light (under 4 hours) reduces flower production and encourages leggy, sparse growth.