Weeping Butterfly Bush Buddleja lindleyana
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Buddleja insignis
- Phonetic Spelling
- bud-LAY-yah lind-lay-AH-nah
- Description
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Introduced into the US in the 1800s, Lindley butterfly bush is a large shrub or small tree in the snapdragon family (Scrophulariaceae) native to China.
The shrub grows 4 to 7 feet tall and 5 to 7 feet wide in a rounded form with arching branches, 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 from 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.
The showy fragrant purple flowers appear in clusters from summer through fall and attract pollinators. Deadhead to encourage more blooms
Use this shrub in a border or as a hedge in a butterfly, pollinator or cottage garden.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Spider mites and white flies can be occasional problems, especially under drought stress. Nematodes are a problem in the coastal plains. 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
- 'Floral Fanfare'
- 'Floral Fanfare'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Floral Fanfare'
Double flowered; dark violet flowers
- 'Floral Fanfare'
- 'Floral Fanfare'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Buddleja
- Species:
- lindleyana
- Family:
- Scrophulariaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- S. China
- 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: 4 ft. 0 in. - 7 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 7 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)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- 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
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Small ovoid two valved capsule, seeds are considered unattractive and are often pruned off.
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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:
- Trumpet
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Tiny purple-violet curved tubular fragrant flowers with four lobes on 3"-12" long terminal 1 sided panicles, that arch out and down in mid to late summer. Deadhead to encourage more blooming will bloom 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:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Opposite, simple, shiny, dark green, narrow leaves that are 2"-4" long and pale gray-green below. Margins are mostly entire but a few that are toothed. 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:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Multiple, cinnamon to gray colored stems are rough
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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
