Buddleia Shrub
The buddleia shrub, also known as butterfly bush, is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub with fragrant flowers that bloom in the summer.
Appearance
Can grow up to 15 ft tall and 15 ft wide
Has arching stems and square stems in cross-section
Has opposite-growing leaves that can be 3–5 in long and 1–3 in wide
Leaves can be deep green, gray-green, or silvery-gray
Flowers are borne in spike-like clusters at the end of branches
Flowering
Blooms from mid-summer to early fall
Wild-origin species has white flowers with orange or yellow centers
Cultivars have flowers in a range of colors, including purple, pink, blue, magenta, yellow, and maroon
Native range
Native to China, where it grows in thickets on mountain slopes, limestone outcrops, forest clearings, and rocky stream banks
Invasive status
Has escaped gardens and naturalized in the eastern U.S., Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii
Has been declared a noxious weed in Oregon and Washington
Management
To prevent further spread, it is best not to purchase, trade, or grow butterfly bush
To promote flowering, remove spent clusters as soon as they are spent
The buddleia shrub, also known as butterfly bush, is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub with fragrant flowers that bloom in the summer.
Appearance
Can grow up to 15 ft tall and 15 ft wide
Has arching stems and square stems in cross-section
Has opposite-growing leaves that can be 3–5 in long and 1–3 in wide
Leaves can be deep green, gray-green, or silvery-gray
Flowers are borne in spike-like clusters at the end of branches
Flowering
Blooms from mid-summer to early fall
Wild-origin species has white flowers with orange or yellow centers
Cultivars have flowers in a range of colors, including purple, pink, blue, magenta, yellow, and maroon
Native range
Native to China, where it grows in thickets on mountain slopes, limestone outcrops, forest clearings, and rocky stream banks
Invasive status
Has escaped gardens and naturalized in the eastern U.S., Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii
Has been declared a noxious weed in Oregon and Washington
Management
To prevent further spread, it is best not to purchase, trade, or grow butterfly bush
To promote flowering, remove spent clusters as soon as they are spent
The buddleia shrub, also known as butterfly bush, is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub with fragrant flowers that bloom in the summer.
Appearance
Can grow up to 15 ft tall and 15 ft wide
Has arching stems and square stems in cross-section
Has opposite-growing leaves that can be 3–5 in long and 1–3 in wide
Leaves can be deep green, gray-green, or silvery-gray
Flowers are borne in spike-like clusters at the end of branches
Flowering
Blooms from mid-summer to early fall
Wild-origin species has white flowers with orange or yellow centers
Cultivars have flowers in a range of colors, including purple, pink, blue, magenta, yellow, and maroon
Native range
Native to China, where it grows in thickets on mountain slopes, limestone outcrops, forest clearings, and rocky stream banks
Invasive status
Has escaped gardens and naturalized in the eastern U.S., Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii
Has been declared a noxious weed in Oregon and Washington
Management
To prevent further spread, it is best not to purchase, trade, or grow butterfly bush
To promote flowering, remove spent clusters as soon as they are spent