About

Buddleja davidii 'Dart's Purple Rain' is a robust deciduous shrub, reaching heights and widths of up to 2 meters. It features gracefully arching branches adorned with lance-shaped foliage. From summer through autumn, it produces fragrant clusters of purple-blue flowers that can extend up to 20 centimeters in length.

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, Partial shade
Soil type
Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisture
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Aspect
South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness
H6

Plant details

Plant type
Shrubs
Habit
Bushy
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
1.5-2.5 metres
Spread
1.5-2.5 metres
Time to full height
5-10 years
Suggested uses
Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
Fragrance
Flower

Care notes

Cultivation
Performs best when grown in a sunny, well-drained situation. See buddleja cultivation for more detailed advice
Pruning
Pruning group 6
Propagation
Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings
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