Buddleia
Buddleia davidii

days to maturity:
plant spacing: 1 plant per 3 square feet
sunlight requirements: 6-14 hours
look out for:
harvest notes:
seasons: fall, winter, spring, summer

Buddleja, commonly called butterfly bush, is famous for its long, cone-shaped clusters of fragrant flowers that draw in butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. In our zone 10b gardens, it grows as a woody perennial shrub, thriving in full sun and well-drained soil. It flowers throughout the warm months, often from spring into fall, and regular pruning helps keep it compact and encourages more blooms. Colors range from purple and pink to white, depending on the variety, and the flowers are excellent for cutting. Though drought-tolerant once established, butterfly bush performs best with steady watering during dry spells. For home gardeners, it’s an easy, reliable way to bring both beauty and pollinator activity into the landscape, making it a centerpiece in butterfly gardens and sunny borders. We love Buddleja because the large clumps of tiny flowers are truly spectacular looking. We’ve seen this plant get absolutely enormous in drier hot climates like Los Angeles but here it will stay smaller and shrubby and may suffer through the humidity of our summer months but its still worth it to have those blooms in the garden.