Buddleja, Butterfly Bush, Orange-eye Butterflybush, Summer Lilac 'Attraction'

Bred by Michael Dirr, this has superseded the old 'Royal Red' as the best "red" butterfly bush.

This species isn't long-li...Read Moreved (usually under 10 years). Hard pruning (to 6") annually in early spring helps it renew itself and improves bloom.

All B. davdii cultivars require weekly deadheading for them to look and bloom its best.

Butterfly bushes may be good nectar sources for adult butterflies, but they are not food sources for the caterpillars of any Lepidoptera native to the continental US.

In some places, B. davidii can be an invasive weed: England, France, New Zealand, and the states of Oregon and Washington. It has naturalized in eastern N. America but is not considered invasive there. Recent cultivars are usually selected for dramatically reduced fertility.This species has naturalized along the west coast of N. America from BC to Califolia, and also in 17 eastern states.

This is my only buddleia, so I can't really make comparisons except to say it's as big as any I've seen in this region (So. NH). This ye...Read Morear mine is especially big because the winter was mild and it suffered little of the usual die-back. This is reddish for a buddleia, but I'd call it more of a Welch's grape juice, fine amethyst with red flashes, sort of purple. It has a lovely fragrance that reminds me of the taste of mullberries. I have it growing on the bank of my lily pond, where the branches arch artfully over the water, and find it quite delightful in full, butterfly-covered, bloom. The only issue I've had with it is some yellowing in the leaves, probably from under-feeding.

Buddleia davidii 'Attraction' BUTTERFLY BUSH Dec (z5) (Bfly,Fra,Cut)
The winner from over 2000 original Sungold seedlings, this se...Read Morelection forms a compact 6-8' (rather than the usual 10-15') bush with attractive gray-grn foliage and fragrant! magenta-red! flowers. Sun/Med