Lindley Butterfly Bush Buddleja lindleyana
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Adenoplea lindleyana
- Buddleja lindleyana var. sinuatodentata
- Verbena lindleyana
- Phonetic Spelling
- bud-LAY-yah lind-lay-AH-nah
- Description
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Lindley butterfly bush was introduced into the United States in the 1800s and is a relatively obscure species. It is a large deciduous shrub or small tree with a weeping habit, shiny green leaves, and lavender flowers arranged on two-foot-long pendulous panicles. This plant is native to Southern China and found along roadsides and railroad embankments. It is a member of the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae).
It prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soils, but tolerates a range of soil types. Flowers appear on new growth, so prune in late winter to early spring. It spreads easily by suckers and can be weedy. Propagate it from semi-hardwood cuttings or root suckers in the summer. Once established, it is quite drought-tolerant but benefits from a 2 to 3-inch layer of mulch each year. Deadhead to encourage more blooms
This shrub grows up to 5 to 8 feet tall and equally as wide with a rounded habit and arching branches. The leaves are green, ovate, and pointed tips, and the showy, fragrant purple flowers appear in clusters from summer through fall, attracting pollinators.
Use this shrub in a border or as a hedge in a butterfly, pollinator, or cottage garden.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Monitor for aphids, capsid bugs, earwigs, figwort weevils, spider mites, and whiteflies that can be a problem when the plant is under drought stress. Nematodes are a problem in the coastal plains. Possible diseases include honey fungus, fungal leaf spot, and viruses. The plant produces some suckers and can spread into neighboring areas.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Floral Fanfare'
Double-flowered; dark violet flowers, unscented, and sterile
- 'Floral Fanfare'
- 'Floral Fanfare'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Floral Fanfare'
Double-flowered; dark violet flowers, unscented, and sterile
- 'Floral Fanfare'
- 'Floral Fanfare'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Buddleja
- Species:
- lindleyana
- Family:
- Scrophulariaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China South-Central and China Southeast
- Distribution:
- Introduced: France, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Nansei-shoto , Windward Islands, Zimbabwe, and the United States--AL, AZ, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, and TX.
- Wildlife Value:
- Nectar from flowers attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- More mite resistant than B. davidii.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Multi-trunked
- Rounded
- Weeping
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is a small, ovoid, two-valve capsule. The seeds are pale brown, narrowly winged. Fruits appear from August to November.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The flowers are tiny, purple-violet, curved tubular, with a white throat and four lobes. They are fragrant and on 3 to 12-inch-long terminal 1-sided panicles that arch out and down in mid to late summer. Deadhead to encourage more blooming. It will flower until the first frost.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Entire
- Sinuate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Opposite, simple, shiny, dark green, elliptic to ovate leaves that are 2 to 4 inches long, 0.5 to 2 inches wide, and pale gray-green below. Apex is acuminate, and base acute. Margins are mostly entire, but a few sinuate to dentate. Glabrous above and pubescent below.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Shredding
- Bark Description:
- On mature plants, it is shredding red to gray to brown.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The stems are multiple, cinnamon to gray colored, rough, and tomentose.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Patio
- Small Space
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Hedge
- Small Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Humidity
- Insect Pests
- Poor Soil
- Salt
- Problems:
- Weedy
