Family: Buddlejaceae
Common Name: Butterfly Bush

Mostly native to eastern Asia, but with some species from Africa and the Americas, these 4 evergreen or deciduous shrubs are generally hardy and easy to grow. Most have pointed, lance-shaped, opposite leaves but the flowers vary, sometimes appearing as spikes or globes, at other times, in clusters or whorls. The fragrance of the flowers attracts butterflies, hence the common name. Buddleja grows rapidly but may be relatively short lived.

Species

B. alternifolia, zone 5, has long, arching branches, clusters of small, lilac, fragrant flowers and alternate gray leaves, hairy on the undersides, to 10 cm (4 in) long. A deciduous, weeping shrub, it grows to 3 m (10 ft).

B. davidii, zone 5, the best known of the species, is a hardy, deciduous shrub growing vigorously to a height and spread of about 3 m (10 ft). It becomes very dense when regularly pruned. The fragrant flowers in lilac with orange eyes grow in long spikes to 25 cm (10 in) and the dark green, lance-shaped leaves are grayish underneath. Cultivar 'Ile de France' has rich purple-blue flowers; 'Nanho Blue' is a dwarf variety to 2 m (6 ft), with heliotrope-mauve flowers; 'Magnifica', with rose-purple flowers, also grows to 2 m (6 ft). Cultivar 'Pink Pearl' has soft mauve-pink flowers. 'Variegata' has large spikes of lavender flowers and cream and green foliage; veitchiana is similar to 'Variegata', but does not have variegated foliage. Cultivar 'Black Knight' has flowers in the deepest purple; 'Charming' has lavender-pink flowers; 'Dubonnet' has deep purple flowers.

B. farreri, zone 9, has small, rose-mauve flowers and variable, heart-shaped leaves, white-felted below and 10-20 cm (4-8 in) long. It is a semi-deciduous species to 3 m (10 ft) tall. B. officinalis, zone 9, has sprays of fragrant, lilac flowers with orange markings in winter and spring and narrow, gray, heart-shaped leaves, woolly white or yellow beneath. This evergreen grows to 3 m (10 ft).

B. salvifolia, zone 9, another evergreen, grows vigorously and densely to 2.5 m (8 ft). It produces terminal clusters of pretty, sweetly perfumed, pale lilac flowers, with orange throats, in late autumn and early winter. The long, heart-shaped leaves are gray-green on top and whitish below.

Cultivation

These shrubs thrive in rich, well-drained soil in a sunny position, though they will grow in most soil types. Propagate from semi-ripe cuttings taken in summer, hardwood cuttings in autumn or winter, or soft tip cuttings in spring. B. davidii cultivars should be pruned back hard in early spring to control size and to maintain vigorous growth and good flowering.

Climate

There are species for various climates.