General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Tree
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Plant Height: 12 feet plus if not cut back but can be maintained as a bush
Plant Spread: 5 feet
Leaves: Deciduous
Fruit: Edible to birds
Flowers: Showy
Blooms on new wood
Flower Color: Purple
Flower Time: Summer
Late summer or early fall
Fall
Uses: Flowering Tree
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Butterflies
Propagation: Seeds: Will not come true from seed
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Awards and Recognitions: RHS AGM

Image
Common names
  • Butterfly Bush
  • Buddlea
  • Summer Lilac
  • Orange-eye Butterfly Bush
Also sold as:
  • Buddleia
  • Buddlea

Photo Gallery
Location: Oxfordshire, England
Date: 2019-07-05

Date: 2016-08-16
Location: My zone 3a garden
Date: 2014-08-08
#Pollination
Location: My zone 3a garden
Date: 2014-08-31
#Pollination

Date: 2016-08-16
Location: From my garden. Poland.
Date: 2018-07-08
Photo by Garden_Girl
Location: My Garden, Willow Valley Communities, Lakes Campus, Willow Street, Pennsylvania
Date: 2021-07-27
Location: Beautiful Tennessee 
Date: summer 2013
Location: My garden, Willow Valley Communities Lakes Campus, Willow Street, Pennsylvania USA
Date: 2020-06-12
Location: Coastal San Diego County 
Date: 2018-06-22
Location: My Property Sunset Zone 23 Fallbrook California
Date: 2013-06-07
Photo by Hazelcrestmikeb
Location: Virginia
Date: 2020-10-01
Location: My zone 3a garden
Date: 2014-08-03
Location: all photos from my garden
Date: 2013-06-22
Photo by Hazelcrestmikeb
Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2022-06-24
First bloom on a spring transplant
Location: University of Tartu Botanical Gardens, Estonia 
Date: 2022-08-30
Location: all photos from my gardens
Date: 2018-08-27
I hope this darkens up
Location: My garden,  Willow Valley Communities Lakes Campus, Willow Street, Pennsylvania USA
Date: 2010-06-11
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2008-08-11
Location: My garden.......Crescent City, California
Date: 2015-06-10
Location: SE Michigan
Full disclosure: I had to alter the color of the photo because my
Location: Longstock Park, UK
Photo courtesy of: Ptelea

Image Courtesy of Bloomin Designs Nursery Used with Permission
  • Uploaded by vic
Location: Denver Metro CO
Date: 2013-02-19
Location: My zone 3a garden
Date: 2014-08-01
Location: Texas
Date: Summer
Black Knight
Location: My zone 3a garden
Date: 2014-07-30
Location: Central Kansas (Zone 6b)
Date: 2016-06-12

Date: 2014-01-23
Photo courtesy of Santa Rosa Gardens. Used with permission.
Location: My zone 5 garden.
Date: 2017-08-06
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2017-06-16
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2017-06-16
Location: My backyard.
Date: 2015-05-09
Can you see the green lizard with the wasp in his mouth?  =o)
Location: My zone 3a garden
Date: 2014-08-03
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2008-08-11
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2017-06-16
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2017-06-16
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2017-06-16

Photo courtesy of Longfield Gardens
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: At Botanical Gardens Berlin-Dahlem
Date: 2014-11-18
Photo courtesy of: BotBln
Location: At Botanical Gardens Berlin-Dahlem
Photo courtesy of: BotBln
Location: Longstock Park Nursery, UK
Photo courtesy of: Ptelea
Location: At Botanical Gardens Berlin-Dahlem
Date: 2014-11-18
Photo courtesy of:  BotBln
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by Bonehead (Planet Earth - Zone 8b) on Apr 7, 2014 4:09 PM concerning plant:
    This has escaped in the Pacific Northwest and is on the non-native invasive list. Reputable nurseries will offer sterile cultivars of Buddleja. Please plant responsibly.
  • Posted by BookerC1 (Mackinaw, IL - Zone 5a) on Jan 10, 2012 5:40 PM concerning plant:
    Details from the plant tag:
    Dig hole 2 times the width of pot. Set top of root ball even with ground level. Combine planting mix and soil. Fill to ground level and tamp. Form water basin, water to settle soil. Add layer of mulch. Check often for water needs until established. Fertilize spring and summer.
  • Posted by Skiekitty (Denver Metro - Zone 5a) on Feb 19, 2013 11:46 AM concerning plant:
    Very xeric plant, grows over 6' tall and wide for me. Gets blasted by full sun for 4-6 hours a day in a rock garden. Attracts butterflies and moths readily, you can smell it literally 10 feet away. Highly recommended if you have the space for a huge plant! Does not like to be trimmed however. A very leggy plant.
  • Posted by okus (Lincolnshire, UK) on Sep 23, 2011 7:29 AM concerning plant:
    When we grew this in Texas it never reached the size it can in cooler areas, but it did flower twice in the year, early summer and fall. It does well in poor soils and can take a great deal of neglect.

    In the UK it self seeds and comes up in odd places like between paving slabs, if it does, remove early as once the roots get established it is very difficult to shift.

    It can be cut back drastically once flowering is done and will grow back again and flower in the one year. If left to grow to tree size the stems can become brittle and snap in high winds.
  • Posted by robertduval14 (Milford, New Hampshire - Zone 5b) on Mar 3, 2013 9:14 PM concerning plant:
    Great deep purple color. Like all Buddleja, it smells wonderful.
Plant Events from our members
piksihk On December 1, 2013 Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc)
jg0613 On June 15, 2015 Obtained plant
Bought plant at local Menards- gallon container. Transplanted into ground. Middle of back yard, N fenced section. Date approximate.
beenthere On May 7, 2018 Obtained plant
From dogwoodritter on ebay.
Mellis0821 On June 13, 2019 Bloomed
First bloom after transplant in Central AR
lovesblooms On March 1, 2020 Seeds sown
winter sow
celloms On April 29, 2023 Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc)
DEAD
paleohunter On April 7, 2022 Transplanted
paleohunter On April 6, 2021 Cuttings took
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