Buddleja, Butterfly Bush, Orange-eye Butterfly Bush, Summer Lilac 'White Profusion'

I live in zone 9b and planted my Buddleja davidii 'White Profusion' last fall. I pruned it in late February the following year. By May, ...Read Moreit had grown to over 7' tall. The wonderfully scented flowers are full and nicely shaped. They are very popular with bees, butterflies and moths. I'm very happy with this addition to my garden.

The Royal Horticultural Society has given this cutivar its coveted Award of Garden Merit. "A later flowing white. A big plant, but it has...Read More a reasonably good habit. The secondary flower spikes are a good size. Height and spread 280x380cm." http://apps.rhs.org.uk/planttrials/TrialReports/Buddleja 201...

This species is short-lived (usually under 10 years). Hard pruning (to 6") annually in early spring helps it renew itself and improves bloom.

All B. davdii cultivars require weekly deadheading for them to look and bloom its best.

Butterfly bushes may be good nectar sources for adult butterflies, but they are not food sources for the caterpillars of any Lepidoptera native to the continental US.

In some places, B. davidii can be an invasive weed: England, France, New Zealand, and the states of Oregon and Washington. It has naturalized in eastern N. America but is not considered invasive there. Recent cultivars are usually selected for dramatically reduced fertility.This species has naturalized along the west coast of N. America from BC to Califolia, and also in 17 eastern states.

I have 2 of these bushes growing as understory plantings beneath Maples in my very dry windy roadside bed. This summer they started out a...Read Mores 8" seedlings. They are now over 3 feet tall and bloomed for months. I deadheaded them and they put out bloom after bloom.

I have trained mine as a standard and is currently over 6 ft tall. White blooms are very aromatic. Gets lots of suckers so constantly r...Read Moreemoving those to maintain tree form. This tree is at least 5 yrs old as of this writing.

UPDATE 5/19: I believe excessive pruning eventually killed my buddleia. I did not replace.