Botanical Name:
Buddleja davidii
Life Cycle:
perennial shrub
Planting Time:
spring or fall
Height:
4' to 10'
Exposure:
full sun
Soil:
rich, moist, well-drained soil; drainage is a must
Hardiness:
zones 5 to 9
Bloom Time:
late spring to early summer
Flower:
pink, fuchsia, light blue, lavender flowers on spikes
Foliage:
green
Propagation:
seeds, semi-hardwood cuttings
Suggested Use:
shrub (south of zone 6 ) or perennial (northern
zones) for foundation plantings, butterfly gardens or backdrops for beds and borders
Growing Hints:
Start indoors from seeds in mid to late winter, purchase small potted plants (they grow fast), or start from semi-hardwood cuttings in early spring or fall. Plants make flowers on new stems so cut them back hard each spring (to the ground in the North and to a foot above ground in the South).
Interesting Facts:
For continuous flowers all summer, trim spent flower clusters off just above a set of leaves and plants will send out two new spikes to replace the one you cut off. As they name suggests, the Butterfly Bush is very attractive to butterflies.
