Herb: Butterfly Bush


Latin name: Buddleia davidii


Synonyms: Buddleia variabilis


Family: Buddleiaceae



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
3 m
(9 3/4 foot)

Flowering:
July to
October

Scent:
Scented
Shrub

Habitat of Butterfly Bush:

Found in rocky riverside habitats 1300 - 2600 metres in China. Waste places, often on brick walls in Britain.

Other uses of the herb:

Black or green dyes can be obtained from the flowers, leaves and stems combined. An orange-gold to brown dye can be obtained from the flowers.

Propagation of Butterfly Bush:

Seed - cold stratify for 4 weeks at 4°C and surface sow the seed in February/March in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 3 - 4 weeks at 21°C. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Seedlings are inclined to damp off and so should be watered with care and kept well-ventilated. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Use short side-shoots. Very high percentage. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 15 - 20cm long, October/November in a frame.

Cultivation of the herb:

Found in rocky riverside habitats 1300 - 2600 metres in China. Waste places, often on brick walls in Britain.

Medicinal use of Butterfly Bush:

None known

Known hazards of Buddleia davidii:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.