Flower Shrub Buddleia Lo & Behold™ Blue Chip
Dwarf Butterfly Bush Attracts Pollinators to Small Spaced Gardens
Jan 25, 2009
The Buddleia shrub is a large summer flowering plant that attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Until recently, the butterfly bush was considered appropriate only for large gardens because of its full-grown size. Released into the market by Proven Winners for 2009, Buddleia Lo & Behold™ ‘Blue Chip’ can be grown in small landscapes, including container gardens.
Botanical name Buddleia x ‘Blue Chip,’ this butterfly bush retains the familiar characteristics of arching branches and long upright panicle-shaped flowers creating a bobbing motion in the garden. Here are more facts, ideas and how to grow butterfly bush.
About Buddleia x Blue Chip
Buddleia x ‘Blue Chip’ continues blooming from the middle of summer through fall. Hardy in zones 5 – 9, container gardeners living in zones 5 and 6 should plan additional protection for over winter survival. Buddleia should be included in gardens where drought tolerant plants, to attract pollinators, are desired.
The plant’s foliage is dark green and the fragrant re-blooming flowers are blue. This noninvasive shrub has dense symmetrical branching that requires no deadheading or pruning. It grows 24 – 30” high and wide.
Dwarf English Butterfly™ Bush Series
Although called dwarf these shrubs are still a large-sized plant. . Each grows 48” – 60” high and requires a planting bed at least 60” – 72” wide. A very good Buddleia davidii series called English Butterfly™ has several colorful cultivars to consider:
- B. ‘Peacock’ has the largest flowers of the group and are pink.
- B. ‘Adonis Blue’ with a deep blue flower can be mixed with yellow flowers.
- B. ‘Purple Emperor’ has mauve purple colored flowers.
How to Grow Butterfly Bush
Belonging to the Loganiaceae family, Buddleia is native to western China. A deciduous flowering shrub, in northern climates it will die to the ground and grow again in spring. The plant flowers on new growth, indicating it should be pruned in spring. However, the less severely pruned, the better it will flower.
Plant Buddleia in full sun with moist well draining soil and fertilize in early spring. This plant survives well from transplanting. Buddleia is a deer resistant plant.
Foliage on butterfly bush is long and ovate, wider at the center, gray to dark green coloring and has serrated edges. Leaves appear in late spring and remains late in fall. While gardeners expect no fall color that is overshadowed by the plant's ability to attract butterflies.
Dr. Dennis Werner, from the North Carolina State University, bred Buddleia x ‘Blue Chip.’ The plant took second place at Royal Horticultural Society’s 2008 Buddleia fall trials in England.
Permission received for all photos used in this article.
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