In the mid 19th century Pere
Armond David, a French missionary, introduced into Britain a
shrub that was to become one of the most useful additions to
our gardens. During his travels in Southwest China in 1869,
David came across a plant known as ‘summer lilac’ and sent
seeds of this rangy, sweetly scented shrub to Kew Gardens
where they were quickly germinated. The new shrub rapidly
became a favourite with English gardeners and was named in
honour of English botanist and clergyman Adam Buddle, and
David, its collector. Buddleia davidii is now one of our most
commonly grown garden shrubs providing summer colour, scent,
nectar and pollen for insects everywhere.
More than 30 species of Buddleia
are in cultivation
in this country. Many of them are tender and need a mild
winter in order to survive the British climate. Of all these
species, Buddleia davidii, often known as Butterfly Bush, is
the most commonly grown and new varieties in many colours are
introduced every year. There is no doubt that as gardeners we
are spoilt for choice - hundreds of selections have now been
made in shades of purple, pink, red and white. All have many
small, honey-scented tubular flowers which combine into a
terminal, pyramidal spike which may be up to 30 centimetres
long. Buddleia davidii is reliably hardy in most parts of the
country but occasionally during bad winters bushes die back to
the ground, but almost always grow again from the rootstock.
So with such
a multitude of named varieties and colour choices, are all
varieties equally attractive to insects? Here many experts
differ, and most have their favourites, but in general it
seems that darker flowered varieties such as the popular 'Black Knight' do
not perform quite as well as butterfly magnets as the paler
colours. My own experience with a selection of colours
through white and pale pink to dark purple seems to bear this
out, and I would always select a white such as White Butterfly
or White Profusion as a first choice. Of course the pale
mauve species is hard to beat, but newer varieties have been
bred for more compact growth or larger flowers. Perhaps the
answer is to visit your local shrub nursery when the Buddleias
are in flower and see which ones the butterflies prefer. Not
just butterflies appreciate B. davidii. Honeybees, some
moths, including hummingbird hawk moth, bumblebees and
solitary bees all appreciate this plant, so a shrub or two
near the vegetable plot brings pollinators galore. However, if
bumblebees are a priority, try Buddleia globosa, often
referred to as Orange Ball Buddleia. This species has a more
robust structure than davidii, and can easily reach a height
and spread of four or five meters. Bumblebees love this
plant, but few butterflies find it attractive. It flowers in
early summer, before the Butterfly Bush, and brings a welcome
splash of orange to the shrub border. Buddleias are also
surprisingly good for a variety of small birds including tits
and warblers, as they will search for the many small
invertebrates that are attracted to the flowers.One of
Buddleia’s attributes is its ability to produce hybrids
between the various species, and some of these are very useful
indeed. A cross between B. davidii and B. globosa has
produced Buddleia x weyeriana, a tall shrub with clusters of
flowers somewhere between its two parents. These appear in
late summer and may continue to flower into the autumn. The
flowers are usually pale yellow although some varieties, such
as Sungold, have a strange tinge of purple – a different and
interesting shrub which attracts both bees and butterflies.
The B. x weyeriana varieties such as Margaret Price and Golden
Glow are especially attractive to red admirals. Plant one of
these in your garden and you can be assured of visits from
this most attractive of butterflies well into the autumn.
Many of the other Buddleia
species are rather tender, but B. alternifolia is another
beautiful and relatively hardy species. It is an elegant shrub with gently
arching branches, each bearing small clusters of pale purple,
sweetly scented flowers along its length. This is
definitely a shrub worth a place in any garden, but it is less
attractive to butterflies than many of its cousins. Buddleia
fallowiana is equally pretty but is only frost hardy and best
grown in a well drained soil or against a sheltered wall. Its
leaves are covered with white hairs when young, becoming
grey-green with age. However, it has been hybridised with the
common Butterfly Bush to produce what for me is the best of
all the Buddleias, especially where attraction to butterflies
is a priority. Buddleia Lochinch has grey-green leaves, huge
panicles of mauve flowers and a heady, honey scent that fills
the garden on a sunny summer day. Butterflies flock to it, as
do honeybees, bumblebees and some moths and it is easy to grow.
Definitely a variety to look out for and add to your wildlife
garden if you have a space.
One of the
joys of all the Buddleia species and hybrids is that they are
easy to grow and maintain. Late February into March is the
time to look at the management of B. davidii, its varieties
and hybrids. They should be cut right back to just above
ground level at this time – this may seem harsh, but it is
essential in a small garden, as they are robust shrubs and can
outgrow their allotted space in a few years. They flower on
new wood, so this annual pruning ensures that they have large
fresh panicles of flowers every summer. Dead heading, if you
have the time and patience, keeps them flowering for longer,
or if you have space for more than one, try cutting back
individual shrubs at intervals. I cut the first in my garden
in late February, and work my way through the others at three
weekly intervals. Those cut back in April continue to flower
well into the autumn. Buddleia globosa can also be cut back
hard when required, but B. alternifolia should have just the
flowering shoots removed once the flowers have faded.
Propagation of all varieties is easy, as cuttings will root at
almost any time of year. Semi-ripe cuttings taken in the
summer and inserted into a mixture of compost and sharp sand
take very readily, and are usually ready to plant into their
final places the following spring. Buddleia also germinates
easily from its fluffy seeds.
As wildlife
gardeners we have a lot to thank Armond David for. Without
Buddleia our gardens would lack the main summer nectar source
for the larger species of butterfly. The shrub that bears his
name is a fitting tribute to an intrepid collector, and a must
for every garden. |
