A white blooming Butterfly Bush. Can become a large shrub in warmer climates but in zone #5 they tend to winter kill back to the ground keeping them much smaller.
Pronunciation
(bud-LEE-a)(day-VID-ee-a)
Plant Type
All Plants, Shrubs Deciduous
Hardiness Zone
5-9
Sunlight
full
Moisture
average
Soil & Site
average
Temperature
grown has a perennial in the cooler zones
Flowers
6-8 inch white panicles, florets have a white throat
Leaves
simple, opposite, green, lanceolate
Dimensions
4-5 feet in cooler climates much larger in the warmer zones
Maintenance
In the right conditions will reseed producing many volunteer plants. Since it blooms on new wood the die back in the cooler climates may keep the size down but still lots of blossoms should occur. If it looks dead in the spring, wait till the weather warms up before you compost it, it may sprout back to life.
Propagation
seeds may not come true to type, softwood cuttings
Native Site
Native to Western China.
Cultivar Origin
Has been sold as a landscape plant since the 1890's.
Misc Facts
The genus name Buddleia was named after Reverend Buddle a French missionary and plant collector.
Author's Notes
I remember the first time I saw up close and personal the Butterfly Bush. It was on a tour of Piccadilly Farms in Georgia. A large plant 6-8 by 6-8 and was covered with Flutterbys (Butterfly's). Melinda Meyers in her book wrote she had Butterfly Bushes living for over 5 years (#55).
Notes & Reference
#1-Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (Michael Dirr), #55-The Garden Book for Wisconsin (Melinda Myers), #183-Buddlejas (David D. Stuart)