Buddleia Davidii

Fundamental Facts

HARDINESS: Zones 5 to 9
PREFERRED SOIL pH: Neutral to slightly acid
PREFERRED SOIL TYPE: Average
PREFERRED LIGHT: Sun
ATTRIBUTES: Fragrant flowers in while, blue, pink, purple, and yellow; for beds, pots
SEASON OF INTEREST: Late spring through early fall; evergreen in mild climates
FAVORITES: 'Pink Delight', 'Niche's Choice', 'Empire Blue', 'Dartmoor', 'Royal Red'
QUIRKS: Holds some leaves through winter in Zones 7 to 9
GOOD NEIGHBORS: Daylily, purple cone-flower, rose, rudbeckia, ornamental grasses
WHERE IT GROWS BEST: Any sunny location
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: Unpruned plants become long-limbed and weak
PRUNING: Prune in late winter or early spring, before new growth begins
CRITTER RESISTANCE: Good
SOURCE: Nursery plants
DIMENSIONS: 6-7 ft (1.8-2.1 m) tall, 4-5 ft (1.2-1.5 m) wide; flowers to 1 ft (0.3 m)

Buddleia in the Landscape

In midsummer, when it's almost too hot to garden, it's time to relax and enjoy the floral show put on by buddleia, also known as butterfly bush. This tall, deciduous flowering shrub, and the many butterflies, bees, and other insects that visit its nectar-rich blossoms, are a focal point in any summer garden. Extremely versatile, these shrubs complement medium-sized flowering perennials, such as rudbeckia and purple coneflowers, and harmonize with ornamental grasses. Buddleias can combine with other shrubs, or even grow in pots.

The long, slender leaves range from 4-10 in (10.2-25.4 cm) long, with green upper surfaces and silvery gray undersides, a combination that makes this shrub beautiful to behold even before it flowers. The cones of
white, yellow, pink, blue, or purple flowers, up to I ft (0.3 m) long, begin to open in early summer and will keep blooming until fall if spent flowers are clipped off every couple of weeks. In Zones 7 to 9, don't be surprised if your butterfly bush survives most winters as an evergreen.

A Haven for Butterflies

Butterfly bush is enjoying a well-deserved surge in popularity because of the magic spell it casts on butterflies and the availability of colorful new cultivars. All cultivars attract butterflies, but the pink 'Pink Delight' and purple 'Niche's Choice' are top picks if attracting butterflies is your main mission. Other colors will tempt you as well, particularly the rich purple of 'Dartmoor', vibrant lilac of 'Empire Blue', red-violet of' Royal Red', and white of 'White Bouquet'.

Although Buddleia davidii is the most popular type for cold regions, a few similar species are equally easy to grow in Zones 8 and 9 and warmer parts of Zone 7. For distinctive yellow flowers there is B. globosa, B. lindleyana produces pendulous violet flower clusters up to 10 in (25.4 cm) in length.

Growing Buddleia

As long as they can bask in the sun and are anchored in well-drained soil, buddleia thrive on neglect. They laugh at drought and rarely wilt. Container-grown plants demand regular watering and fertilizing with a balanced fertilizer to remain at their healthiest.

To ensure continuous flowers on attractive bushes, prune the whole plant back to 1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m) tall in late winter or early spring. Butterfly bushes quickly recover and grow 6-7 ft (1.8-2.1 m) tall by fall.To encourage reblooming, remove spent flowers. Established plants are satisfied by a springtime half-strength application of organic or timed-release, balanced fertilizer. Buddleia has no serious problems with insects or disease.