About

Compact, bushy shrubs featuring soft, grey-green foliage and abundant clusters of fragrant flowers in shades of white, lavender-blue, lilac, or deep red. Blooming from summer through autumn, these plants offer a vibrant display throughout the season.

About the genus

Buddleja comprises evergreen and deciduous shrubs, and in some cases, it can also be found as small trees or scrambling climbers. The foliage consists of simple leaves, and the plants produce clusters of small, tubular flowers that emit a pleasant fragrance.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil type
Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisture
Moist but well-drained
Aspect
South-facing, West-facing
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness
H6

Plant details

Plant type
Shrubs
Habit
Bushy
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
1-1.5 metres
Spread
1-1.5 metres
Time to full height
5-10 years
Suggested uses
Cottage and informal garden, City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Wildlife gardens, Patio and container plants

Care notes

Cultivation
Grow in fertile well-drained soil in full sun. Deadhead spent flowers to prolong the season. See buddleja cultivation for more detailed advice
Pruning
Prune hard annually in early spring back to a low framework, pruning group 6; deadhead to prolong flowering
Propagation
Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in summer
Pest resistance
May be susceptible to aphids, capsid bugs, caterpillars, earwigs, figwort weevils, glasshouse red spider mite, leaf and bud eelworm, and mullein moth
Disease resistance
May be susceptible to honey fungus, fungal leaf spot, and virus diseases