#142 Buddleja davidii Common Names: butterfly bush, buddleia, summer lilac Family: Buddlejaceae (butterfly bush Family) Get link to this Profile or click for Datasheet

Here's the popular and pretty purple variety called 'Dark Knight' posing in front of a trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans) blossom.

Location
Buddleja davidii, the butterfly bush, is native to northwestern China and Japan.

Culture
Butterfly bush likes well drained, average soil. They thrive in fairly dry conditions once established. Roots may perish in wet soil. Butterfly bushes are semi-evergreen in climates with mild winters. They may be cut back to the ground and will re-emerge from roots in their northernmost range, but will not reach the maximum size they do in warmer climes. It is advisable to cut back the shrubs in any case, since flowers are usually larger and more prolific on new wood. Avoid the use of insecticides around buddleias. Pinch off spent flower clusters to prolong blooming.
Light: Plant butterfly bush in full sun to part sun.
Moisture: Average to dry.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-10. Butterfly bush will die to the ground in winter in zones 5 and 6 but it comes back in spring.
Propagation: Butterfly bush is very easy to root from cuttings in warm weather.

Having one of these in the butterfly garden is almost essential as it blooms a lot over a long period and is a delicious dining destination for hungry butterflies!

Features
You are likely to see this genus referred to as Buddleia davidii in some horticultural publications but Buddleja davidii is the correct botanical name. In addition this genus, formerly assigned to the family Loganiaceae has been split out into its own family called Buddlejaceae. We still like to use buddliea as a common name for butterfly bush - read What's In a (Plant) Name for more on botanical nomenclature.

Butterfly bush is one of the most attractive plants to butterflies; the white varieties may be most attractive of all. The fragrant flowers, gray-green leaves and constant motion of winged insects are a delight in any landscape. Butterfly bush is a fast-growing shrub that requires little care. No garden should be without this beauty!

Steve Christman 12/08/97; updated 10/5/00, 11/15/02, 9/12/03, 12/9/03, 2/7/04

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