Buddleja

Buddlejaceae
Deciduous, Evergreen, Shrubs, Semi-evergreen

Many selections available, all notable for flower color, fragrance, or both. Grow in well-drained soil. Blossoms attract butterflies.

Buddleja davidii

Semievergreen to deciduous. Native to China, Japan. Fast, rank growth each spring and summer to 3, 4, or even 10 ft. tall and as wide. Tapering leaves are 4–12 in. long, dark green above, white and felted beneath. In midsummer, branch ends are adorned with small, fragrant flowers (lilac with orange eye) in dense, arching, spikelike, slender clusters 6–12 in. long or more.

Needs good drainage and enough water to maintain growth. Cut back heavily before spring growth begins. May die to the ground in freezing weather but will regrow from roots like a perennial and bloom the same year. Invasive in disturbed soils in parts of Oregon and Washington.

Buddleja davidii nanhoensis

Similar to B. davidii, but smaller in all its parts. Fast growth to just 3–5 ft. tall and wide, with dark green, pointed leaves. Dense flower clusters in white, deep blue, or reddish purple. Cut back hard before new growth begins in spring.

Buddleja x weyeriana

This hybrid between Buddleja davidii and Buddleja globosa resembles the latter parent, growing 10 to 15 ft. tall and wide, but is deciduous (except in mildest winter climates) and is hardier, with more elongated orange-yellow flower clusters in late spring or early summer.

'Lochinch'

Hybrid between Buddleja davidii and another Asian species. Deciduous (but retains its leaves in mildest-winter climates). Grows 5 to 8 ft. or more, with equal spread. Has gray foliage and light lavender blue flowers over a long season in late summer and fall.