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| Buddleia | Common name; Butterfly bush |
A hardy deciduous shrub bearing clusters of fragrant lilac / purple flowers from July to around October.
The flowers grow on the current year’s growth.
Butterflies are attracted to the flowers, hence the name Butterfly bush.
Depending upon variety they can grow to a height and spread of around 3 metres (10ft).
Week 4; Sow seed in pots/trays of seed compost and germinate at a temperature of 21C (70F)
Germination will take around a month.
Week 8; Prick out when large enough to handle into 75mm (3") pots of potting compost.
Place in light position, but not direct sunlight for a few weeks until they get properly going.
Week 10; No regular pruning is required, but with vigorous growers, such as b. davidii, all the-previous year's growth can be cut back to within 50-70mm (2"-3") of the old wood.
Week 12; Place in cold frame to harden off.
Week 16; Plant out in full sun, and in soil that has been previously prepared with a liberal amount of manure / compost.
Buddleia are lime tolerant!
Half-hardy species are best grown against a warm, west facing wall
Week 24; Take 100-125mm (4"-5") long heel cuttings of half-ripe lateral shoots and insert into equal parts (by volume) peat and river sand and place in a cold frame to root.
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