Buddleja 'Red Chip' Buddleja 'Miss Molly'

Buddleja 'Miss Molly' is a hybrid butterfly bush cultivar of  Buddleja 'Miss Ruby' and Buddleja davidii  'Attraction' and was developed at North Carolina State University by Dr. Dennis Werner. It is a medium-sized deciduous shrub with a mounding habit that grows up to 4-5 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide. Its flowers are fragrant, blooming from mid-summer to late fall with a dark, sangria red or magenta red color. The flower color of this shrub is the closest to red than any other butterfly bush.

'Miss Molly' will bloom the first year after planting and is low maintenance and easy to grow. It tolerates different soil types, although clay soils will benefit from being amended with compost. This shrub prefers a sunny location and medium moist, well-drained soil. Buddlejas do not tolerate soggy wet soils or poor drainage and are drought-tolerant once established. This plant is hardy in zones 5a to 9b. In hardiness zones 5 to 6, this plant may die back to the ground in winter and is sometimes grown as a herbaceous perennial. These shrubs will be more vigorous and produce better flowering if pruned back close to the ground in late winter. Since it blooms on new wood, it should not be pruned any later than early spring. Reproduction of this shrub is prohibited, and it is protected by the Plant Patent Act by patent number PP23425.

'Miss Molly' is semi-compact and has a moderate growth rate. The foliage is green to silvery green, lanceolate with a wrinkled texture and pointed tips. Each flower is small, tubular-shaped, magenta red, and they are densely packed and arranged in a 4-inch long, terminal, bottlebrush-shaped panicles. The most common flower shade is a wine red or sangria, but it changes throughout the season with deeper reds in warmer regions and more purple shades in cooler climates.   

'Miss Molly's' eye-watching flower color is a perfect planting for mixed borders, perennial gardens, or wildflower gardens. It will attract butterflies and hummingbirds. 

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Exhibits no serious insect or disease problems. 

More information on Buddleja.