About
Buddleja officinalis is a semi-evergreen to evergreen shrub that typically reaches a height of approximately 2.5 meters. Its foliage consists of dark green leaves with a distinct, densely felted grey-white underside. The plant produces pale mauve-pink flowers with yellow centers, which emit a strong fragrance. These flowers appear in arching panicles and bloom from winter into early spring.
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
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, South-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H3
Plant details
- Plant type
- Conservatory Greenhouse, Shrubs
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Semi evergreen
- Height
- 2.5-4 metres
- Spread
- 2.5-4 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Mediterranean climate plants, Sub-tropical
- Native to
- W China
- Fragrance
- Flower
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Needs full sun, well-drained soil and a frost-fee location. Ideal for a large conservatory or greenhouse. Can be grown on a warm, sheltered wall in particularly mild locations. See buddleja cultivation for more detailed advice
- Pruning
- Prune back to a framework in spring; pruning group 6
- Propagation
- Root semi-ripe cuttings in summer
- Pest resistance
- Susceptible to capsid bug, caterpillars, figwort weevil, mullein moth and glasshouse red spider mite
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus, fungal leaf spot, and virus diseases