Black knight buddleia

Well then Ivy1, I guess you know what they need. Neglect. Jeanette

Then we'd all have to dig up the old wimpy, limpy one! I dug out one last year and needed a nap! After my 911 hospital stay from digging up Japanese irises I think I'll just shut my mouth and stop complaining and leave it be!

Thank you Ivy1.... thats a great site comparison of what happens. I have one black night out in no-mans land that I doubt will come back. This is it's third year and it's coming on strong. I didn't even step in and cut back the old growth. Figured I'd leave it as a marker ... just in case. It's down with yuccas and stuff. My harlequin has some floppy succulent this year but it had mulch shoved up against it and extra water since I opened a new bed in front with brugs.

Let me see what I can do Jnette. We had a bit of a storm (Arlene) and it blew my arbor over and onto my buddleia. Several broken branches which are now in a pot for rooting.

I wish "Arlene" would just leave! Hate this reputation!

pirl (Arlene)

Rylaf that would be wonderful!!! Jeanette

I'm NOT addicted to them... honest... I started out with two blue Nanho, then I got a honeycomb, then my daughter got me a pink one, this year I found one I didn't know existed barely surviving under the honeycomb (now, the honeycomb gets HUGE). I don't know what color the mystery survivor is - waiting for its first bloom. Oh, and I bought a Black Knight and a Harlequinn this year. And yeah, a bi-color and an orchid. My dad just laughs, and keeps digging up more of his yard for my plants. I cut mine down to the ground, and they are taller than 6 feet already (well, the three older ones - Nanho blue & honeycomb). We had all kinds of butterflies and hummers, and even a bunch of hummingbird moths last year. I'd never seen them before.

I want you all to know tht they are so invasive in Seattle that the Noxious Weed Board is outlawing them. LOL

Jeanette

My plain lavender one is an awful self seeder - this year on the 45' brick terrace. Think we'll resort to Round Up.

Invasive? I think I had heard that somewhere before but this is the first time I've had live testimonials. I think I've only had 3 volunteers in the 6 or 7 years I've been growing them. Maybe it's because I try and deadhead to keep the blooms coming.

I do try and keep up with 'Black Knight' only because it's so prominent and I love the color. The others are spread all around the rest of the garden and one of those things I just can't get to in the heat of summer. Weeds and fun take precedence, not necessarily in that order!

Mine is seeding into the driveway, which is a mix of sand and gravel. I am waiting to see what comes of these- they have not bloomed yet.

weeds, fun, priority.... yep

One of the factors in moving prickly pear cactus out of a little area between the garage entrance and front door to a big honking planter out back was a little scuffle I had last year. I had already had a lot of 'fun' and was going back into get some more from the garage fun-fridge. Welll - how'd that weed get back there in that corner. I'll just lean over there and grab it since I'm going into the garage anyway. Lean against the wall (house) and stretch over and behind the cactus to get that paper. I think the house settled just then and threw off my balance or something and I had a close encounter of the prickly kind.

Ouch! Those cactus thingys smart for days!

I like your fridge idea. Our shed would be ideal for a fun-fridge since the back yard is on a steep slope, with the shed at the bottom. Sometimes I can't get back up to the house - even without the "fun".

I don't know what my problem is but I can't get these to live more than a few months at best, in the ground or in a container. I treat them as short lived annuals.
Jan...

What zones are they listed for?

according to the PF, zones 5a-9b

Do you know of anyone else in your area with them and how they grow for them so you could compare notes? If you bought it at a local nursery it seems they SHOULD want to know that your loving care is not helping and maybe they have some ideas.

Got some online. The most recent one is a white one I got
at Lowes.

I doubt if Lowe's will be of any use but maybe they're more talented down by you. I hope so! Why don't you ask at a local nursery, even by phone, and see what they say. If they don't stock them it may be because they don't perform well. Nurseries are generally very helpful because they want your business.

Budgielover,

Are you inquiring just to the Black Knight? or any buddleia?

So far, I have some yellow, red, and one other (surprise because I forgot) that are doing very well for me. I got them online or from trades from much further north than me.

I planted them on the west side of the building so they get afternoon sun. They are doing fine.

Molly
:^)))

All varieties. Mine start out fine but decline and die after a few months.
Just figured it was too hot here.

You are better off relying on people in Florida who have the plant. Something is different between yours and Molly's. Soil? PH? Sun?
Watering practices?

BudgieLover,

So far I haven't found it the case being too hot. I don't know what kind of ph is going here. My plants all get sprinklered every other night. I have a good black soil with the usual sand that allows for drainage.

I don't know why, but so far so good.

Molly
:^)))

Sorry I couldn't be of more technical help.

Let me know how yours do over the summer Molly. Like I said, mine do great for several months and then poof.

Looks like there's a mystery here to be solved. Wish I could have been more of a help!

Sure Budge. I'll let you know

Molly
:^)))

Jnette - my dad says I grow lots of weeds. I have milkweed, joy pye weed, thistle, etc. All the outlawed butterfly bushes from Seattle can find haven in my yard. I haven't had any come up that I didn't plant - excpet the mystery one. But honestly, I could have planted it and not remembered. :)

Gotta bump this up Zarebeth.

Jeanette

My little guy bloomed this year :)

Mine managed it's first bloom. I cut the tops off the other branches and I'm hoping for better results there. If not: bye bye Butterfly Bush!

I went out and got a pic of my Butterfly Bush....just as it hit full bloom! The bloom spikes are HUGE, at least a foot long, probably longer. This shrub was cut down to 6 inches in Feb...10 feet tall now....

Gorgeous! Most of mine are limping along, but a couple (in the worst soil) are getting ready to bloom.

And a close-up of one of the flower spikes....I could barely reach the one in fullest bloom to photograph it, and getting that close it smelled so much like honey.....no wonder the bees and butterflies love this shrub!!! :o)

I love that smell....

Me too....nothing else quite like it!!!

Here is my Black Night....never does as well as the others, but those flowers are so dark and pretty...

And a flower spike....the only reason I don't shovel prune this plant...those gorgeous flowers.. :)

Jamie - great flowers! Mine has one, just one.

Here's my first bloom:

Hi pirl-girl...:)

Thanks!!

nice bloom ivy1!! :o)

~~ Jam

This message was edited Jul 14, 2005 2:20 PM