Buddleja Species, Alternate-Leaf Butterfly Bush, Fountain Butterfly Bush

Buddleja alternifolia

Family
Scrophulariaceae (skrof-yoo-larr-ee-AY-see-ee)
Genus
Buddleja (BUD-lee-uh)
Species
alternifolia (al-tern-ee-FOH-lee-uh)
Synonym
Buddleja legendrei
Buddleja minima
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
8-10 ft. (2.4-3 m)
10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m)
12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m)
Spacing
10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m)
12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
Danger
N/A
Bloom Color
Lavender
Bloom Time
Mid Spring
Other Details
Category
Shrubs
Water Requirements
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Foliage Color
Where to Grow
Grow outdoors year-round in hardiness zone
Bloom Characteristics
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Bloom Size
Other details
Soil pH requirements
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
From woody stem cuttings
From semi-hardwood cuttings
By grafting
By simple layering
By air layering
Seed Collecting
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Denver, Colorado

Littleton, Colorado

Bartow, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

Barnesville, Georgia

Cordele, Georgia

Dallas, Georgia

Locust Grove, Georgia

Boise, Idaho

New Bedford, Massachusetts

Topsfield, Massachusetts

Fredonia, New York

Raleigh, North Carolina

New Carlisle, Ohio

Roff, Oklahoma

Chalfont, Pennsylvania

Houston, Pennsylvania

Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania

Atlanta, Texas

Austin, Texas

Copperas Cove, Texas

Plano, Texas

Brattleboro, Vermont

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Gardener's Notes:

3
positives
1
neutral
0
negative
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M
Dallas, GA | August 2008 | positive

Love this plant! I have cut mine to look like a tree. It has this heavenly look to it now.

J
Endicott, NY | January 2003 | positive

A very large, but wonderful shrub. It survives without any dieback in zone 5. I purchased 2 from Park Seed and they grew 3 ft in the fi...Read More

C
| May 2002 | positive

A very beautiful and very hard to find (at least in Spring of 2002) plant. I am training mine into a standard. The blooms are just geor...Read More

T
T
Murfreesboro, TN (Zone 7a) | April 2002 | neutral

A weeping form, B. alternifolia blooms on previous year's wood and is slightly hardier than B. davidii.

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