Fountain Buddlejas flower only that one time, in Spring, but this too is an opportunity not a limitation. And always site the bush to give it all possible sun. Its texture is medium to fine. Buddleja (orth. Start with a young plant, preferably one that’s less than a foot tall. It's not even just about this cultivars gorgeous silver foliage, as pleasing as any olive's. Loosen the roots by making 4-5 slashes with a knife carefully, mix 2-4 inches of compost and cover the hole with the soil. After the bush has had a few years to get organized (be patient: young plants have none of the zero-to-sixty-by-August mindset of, But unless you live in Novosobirsk, Fountain Butterfly wood is completely hardy top to bottom, with none of the massive die-back typical of, After you and your Fountain Buddleja standard are well established as a couple, you could even cut. Seed propagation is done by allowing the seed heads to dry on plants, removed and collected. This keeps the gray foliage as silver as possible, and also maximizes the flowering. This compact butterfly bush reaches just 2'/.6 m tall and wide but has the large, full flowers normally seen on a much larger plant. And its wood is totally hardy, so there's no die-back to deal with in Spring. The fast-growing butterfly bush reaches a mature height of 6 to 10 feet tall in one or two growing seasons. Dig a hole about one-foot wide and deep as the root ball of the plant. Thanks to the silver foliage, these are showy right from the get-go, and continue to charm all season long. Its long, slender branches require training, otherwise they tend to become a tangled mess with poor quality flowers on its panicles. A full-grown fountain bush resembles a weeping willow. It blooms from midsummer through September, hence, it is also called 'Summer lilac'. Then the plant will be vastly more compact and easy to handle as you lug it into shelter. Excellent as a specimen, in masses or in mixed borders. Buddleja 'Silver Anniversary' has a neat rounded shape and compact habit that won't become a nuisance in garden borders. The yellow butterfly bush, however, can be trained into a 15-foot tree. Cut 1/3rd of the branch for new growth and dead stems to the ground. Plant in full sun to light shade and prefers loose, organic-rich soil. That trunk will, in time, become truly trunky too: I've seen standards of Fountain Butterfly with trunks as thick as a supermodel's legs. Argentea Alternate Leaf Butterfly Bush will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. Stunningly different and showy, few shrubs can rival this outstanding selection. Cut off all the long weeping flowering stems right after the flowers are through. Sprinkle water, and cover with a shade material. Finally:  The Snapdragon family. The generic name bestowed by Linnaeus posthumously honoured the Reverend Adam Buddle (1662–1715), an English botanist and rector, at the suggestion of Dr. William Houstoun. 12' tall x 8' wide. In all cases, be firm about a serious clipping right after the flowers are through. And it takes up that much less room indoors over the Winter too. This selection has very long wands of deep-pink flowers, on a … Sprinkle seeds evenly and cover with a thin layer of soil. The simplest option is to grow it as a standard. It grows best in US hardiness zones 5 through 10, having preferably full sunlight. This divine buddleia blooms from summer to frost while retaining a perfectly petite growth habit. For new shoots and flower buds, remove spent flower spikes. Seeds should be kept in airtight container in a dry dark place. They are not ideal in terms of privacy, but they have an extremely fast growth rate. It can be propagated by five methods: semi-hardwood cuttings, woody stem cuttings, grafting, simple layering, and seeds. The Fountain Buddleia can reach 3 feet in the first year and eventually around 15 feet or sometimes much larger. When the plant is new, water it regularly enough and sparingly otherwise. Water the plant thoroughly at first. It blooms in Spring but not in Summer. Outside its broad hardiness range—from Montreal to San Diego, for heaven's sake—I would even consider growing one in a pot and overwintering it in a cool greenhouse. Since it is a fast-growing plant, it might need regular trimming. But handling an already-clipped pollard during the shuffle indoors in the Fall is immensely easier than one that's still in "full weep." They can easily grow up to 12 feet in only one or two growing seasons. This gorgeous dwarf shrub takes the traditional panicle blossoms of Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) and quite literally turns them on their heads – giving it the appearance of a trained wisteria in the landscape. The long, cascading panicles of lavender-purple flowers are sweetly fragrant and attract many colorful pollinators, especially the tiger swallowtails. Butterfly bushes are crazy fast growers. Full sized flowers on a dwarf plant! Know how to grow and care for them so that your garden keeps blooming. (22-24" tall x 36-48" wide) Set up a bench in front of 'Wisteria Lane' Butterfly Bush, grab a drink, and watch the pollinators descend! This bush's most exceptional talents are in partnering with you, to create a number of striking sculptural and structural triumphs. Depending on how the bush is handled, they could even flow. Start with a young plant, select the most sturdy or the tallest stem, and prune the branches growing from close to the roots. However, the butterfly bush can also be pruned in the spring with no ill effects. These fast growing shrubs provide colorful flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds alike. Given that Zone 5 (or even a sheltered Zone 4) hardiness, you should be able to store the pot in an unheated (but securely enclosed and out of the winter winds and drafts) location. the small, narrow, silvery leaves are much, much smaller than those of B. davidii, and are reminiscent of the foliage of both willows and olives. It is perennial and blooms more than once in a year; mid-spring and early summer. Still, if trained to grow in a garden, it won't intrude on other plants, and either way, for a gardener, this beautiful cluster of purple flowers can never be an intrusion. And, remember, the flowering is only for those few weeks in Spring, whereas the fabulous weepiness is with you all Summer and Fall.). Fountain butterfly bush is hardy and needs very little care. Seeds should be kept in airtight container in a dry dark place. A fountain butterfly bush is a colorful plant with rich green foliage and flower panicles that come in all possible shades of blue and purple. Long downward-arching stems would do a weeping willow proud, but on untrained plants there are too many of them, and in an asymmetrical and haystack fashion. Maintain the pH of the soil between 6 - 8.5. Special features: Attracts Butterflies , Attracts Hummingbirds , Easy Care , Waterwise Even out of bloom, the shrub is striking. 1998 Plant Select® Winner. Give us a few years, and my Fountains will be sensational. This cleans the plant up dramatically, and also stimulates growth of new and particularly long and weeping stems. Meet Pugster ® Amethyst butterfly bush - the newest member of this unique series that offers full sized flowers on a dwarf plant. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. One may have to add extra support in a circular shape to hold the plant's weight well at the top. Imagine the weeping and flowering stems "pouring" down from the arch or pergola. This is your chance to get rid of the flower stems as well as do any structural reconfiguring and training. And that would be? After the bush has had a few years to get organized (be patient: young plants have none of the zero-to-sixty-by-August mindset of B. davidii), stake the biggest branch upright and then (gulp) lop off all the rest of the bush. Blue flowers radiate against ethereal silver foliage...a glimpse of heaven on Earth! Fine:  This is a plant that knows what it likes and it's sticking to it. As its common name implies, the plant displays violet-blue flowers that resemble a butterfly in flight. For growth of new shoots, flower buds, remove spent flower spikes. When we say full sun, we mean it – butterfly bush require a minimum of 8 hours of bright sunlight. Size, form and leaf color can vary widely b… Cutting them back is perfectly safe and something we do routinely. Averages 5 feet tall and wide. Native to Western China, the fountain butterfly bush is a tall shrub that can add a beautiful touch to the garden. Six to eight feet tall and ten feet or more wide. The butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) is a beautiful, fast-growing, deciduous shrub with masses of blossoms—long, spiked trusses—that bloom from summer to autumn. Buddleia alternifolia ( Fountain Buddleia ) A very fine, very fast growing, dense, deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to northwest China. The silver foliage keeps it interesting when the flowers are gone. Give it plenty of room because it gets huge! Fountain Butterfly Bush (Buddleia alternifolia) has graceful, drooping branches that are covered in the spring with sprays of lilac flowers that give the whole plant a water fall effect. Fountain Buddleja, though, makes all the uncommon and astonishing choices. Another name: the Figwort family? An attractive tree, it features round leaves held tightly to the stems and a fast growth rate. They do well down to Zone 5, and can be semi evergreen in areas that do not freeze. Just make sure you wait until the threat of frost has passed. Watch out for common ailments like root rot or infestations of caterpillar and beetles. In winters, spread mulch six inches deep for nourishment. The fountain butterfly bush, also called Buddleja davidii, was named after a French Jesuit missionary and explorer in China, Father Armand David, who had first noticed the shrub. Fountain Buddleja, though, makes all the uncommon and astonishing choices. Choose a healthy seedling, and plant it at least 15-20 inches deep in the soil. Yes, this is a buddleja—but it's in bloom in early June, not the usual July through September season of the regular Butterfly Bushes, which are all cultivars of Buddleja davidii. Weeping, delicate—and, unless trained, a bit messy. At a glance: Silver Fountain Butterly Bush (Buddleia alternifolia 'Argentea'); Height: 12-15’ Width: 10-12’ Growth … But unless you live in Novosobirsk, Fountain Butterfly wood is completely hardy top to bottom, with none of the massive die-back typical of B. davidii. Seeds should be sown in a fertile, well-drained, and loamy soil. Has grayish-green foliage and an upright spreading growth habit. The plant will look spindly and aghast, so be reassuring and attentive by 1) continuing to tie the top to the stake, so you lengthen the trunk to five or six feet (or higher if you've got the yen), and 2) continuing to clip off the new sprouts that will pop up from the base of the bush, which is, of course, a buddleia, who as a tribe are always interesting in sprouting from the base. Place the plant in the hole, but make sure you don't plant it too deep. This deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub typically grows from 6 to 10 feet tall by 4 to 10 feet wide with a rather open, arching form. A favourite nesting tree for the uncommon Lesser Spotted woodpecker, Silver Birch is used by hundreds of species insects, especially when the tree is dead but remains standing, which often occurs with Birch. Butterfly bush are quite easy to grow, but you do need to know a bit about their preferences and requirements to achieve maximum success:. Blooms on previous season’s growth. The fragrant, arching clusters of Butterfly Bush are irresistible to hummingbirds and butterflies. Remove the infected and damaged parts of the plant. Make sure you place the plants 8-10 feet away from each other. Your weeping standard will be the ultimate in grace as well as detail. The bush grows tall and slender and can reach a height of nearly 15 feet. Late Spring: early June here in Rhode Island. Seed propagation is done by allowing seed heads to dry on the plants, and then removed and collected. It takes the shape of an umbrella or a fountain. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. © 2020 louistheplantgeek.comJoomla! Buddleia) (/ ˈ b ʌ d l i ə /; also historically given as Buddlea) is a genus comprising over 140 species of flowering plants endemic to Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Clip off branches that will, inevitably, volunteer from the trunk itself, and you'll have a stunning weeping tree. Butterfly Bush. So they're showy by virtue of sheer number as well as their stems' geometry of many downward arcs. Types of Juniper Shrubs. This is probably the reason why it is known as a butterfly bush. Also called Buddleja davidii, fountain butterfly bush is a perennial shrub having a delightful and sweet fragrance that attracts an array of colorful butterflies. Butterfly bush need full sun. It will put out new leaves a little later than a lot of other shrubs, so be patient, it catches up fast. Chinese Weeping Butterfly Bush is perhaps the most beautiful of all butterfly bushes. Alternate Leaf Butterfly Bush will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 8 feet. AND, if you decide you'd prefer to have your F-B standard in a pot instead of in the ground, pollarding is the great convenience as well:  Pollard in late Fall, after hard frosts have forced most of the plant's leaves to drop, and it's, therefore, fairly dormant. The seeds will germinate within a week, and when they reach a six-leaf stage, transplant them. In other words, grow your F-B as a pollard. Wherever it's grown, I'd highlight its weepiness with some training. Well that’s because they just planted a Blue Heaven Butterfly Bush in their garden! Why any nursery would sell anything other than the silver-leaved is beyond me. Many insect species live upon the birch. While the flowering and the weeping new stems that bear the flowers are always lovely, the bush overall is a mess if it's not trained one way or the other. Location Map for Buddleja alternifolia 'Argentea' (Alternate-leaved Butterfly Bush; Silver Fountain Butterfly Bush) - 6 Map Locations Found Click a marker pin or a green plant 'dot' for details. Silver-leaved Fountain Buddleja Yes, this is a buddleja—but it's in bloom in early June, not the usual July through September season of the regular Butterfly Bushes, which are all cultivars of Buddleja davidii. Here’s how to do it: Step one — Choose a leader. That flowers in Spring. And the branches that you let grow from the top of your young trunk will continue to lengthen and weep year by year. Most gardeners use this to their advantage, and train them into beautiful climbers or small trees with single stems. Honey scented white flower spikes make a gentle contrast with the leaves, creating a truly elegant Butterfly Bush. Prune after flowering and remove one-third of oldest stems. And these are also the branches that will bear the flowers next Spring. Rotheca myricoides ‘Ugandense’, or Blue butterfly bush, is a low maintenance, suckering, evergreen shrub in the Lamiaceae family that is native to tropical eastern Africa (Kenya and Uganda). Those come in loads of colors—white, pink, blue, rose, purple—whereas B. alternifolia flowers are only in lavender or (so I hear, but haven't seen) pink. A fountain butterfly bush is a colorful plant with rich green foliage and flower panicles that come in all possible shades of blue and purple. Then the canopy will be nothing but fresh new graceful weeping stems that Summer, as well as the following Spring. The huge lavender flowers spikes are an astonishing 18" in length and drape gracefully over the bush in late spring. the Spring flowers, such a surprise from the Summer flowers of the usual butterfly bushes, which are cultivars of B. davidii. The straight species has all the charm and potential of weeping and training and flowering, but the green foliage is boring compared to the silver-leaved variety. Butterfly bush is an invasive plant, meaning it crowds out beneficial plants that have naturally grown in your community for centuries. Junipers (Juniperus spp.) The fountain butterfly bush is different from its cousins as they have long, slender stems and branches. Silver-leaved Fountain Buddlejas are, to my eye at least, one of the 500 essential plants for any garden. The cone or wand-shaped flower heads … Easy as long as the plant gets all possible sun, and is planted in well-draining or even sandy soil. One can pick them from vendors, who have them the whole year. Insert a strong, treated wooden or metal support next to the bush, and use strings to tie and hold the long stem to the support. the Spring flowers, such a surprise from the Summer flowers of the usual butterfly bushes, which are cultivars of, the small, narrow, silvery leaves are much, much smaller than those of, Wherever it's grown, I'd highlight its weepiness with some training. are one of the hardiest, most versatile and drought-tolerant shrubs. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be … Or the "wall of weep" you'd have if the F-B were fanned onto a wall or fence. is Free Software released under the GNU General Public License.Mobile version by Mobile Joomla! Its flowers come in many colors, though butterflies seem to prefer the lavender-pink (mauve) of the species to … If you want to fertilize the plant, use a low nitrogen fertilizer with high phosphate, but don't fertilize the plant too much. Unless trained, multi-stemmed, hay-stacky, weepy, broader than tall. For sowing seeds, layer the soil absolutely flat. Alternate-leaf Butterfly Bush is easy to distinguish from other Buddleja's because its leaves are alternate instead of opposite. Two other options for Fun with Fountain Buddlejas:  Train a pair of the bushes up and over a high arch or even a (small) pergola. Fountain Buddleja, then, isn't just about flowers like those other Butterflies. When and how to prune a butterfly bush is a topic that comes up quite a bit with our readers. The bush can tolerate heat and drought only after it is well established. Allow the bush to grow the whole year, and gain 6-7 feet height. Because it’s tropical, eucalyptus is treated as an annual in most areas of North America. As the name suggests, it attracts many butterflies as well as bees, moths, and hummingbirds. And instead of the stiff up-and-outward branching of B. davidii, Fountain Buddleia branches walk the walk and talk the talk of its name: They weep, and seriously so. Leaves are opposite, 3 to 5 inches long by 1 to 3 inches wide, varying from deep green to gray-green to silvery-gray.