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Buddleia – Butterfly Bush, Summer Lilac
Buddleias have made a great place for themselves in the garden where their abundant bloom, attractive color and delicate fragrance wins our admiration the first time we become acquainted with them. These plants are nearly hardy shrubs, but because of our cold Winters they serve as perennials with us.
SPECIES. B. variabilis is a species bearing erect panicles of lilac colored, fragrant blooms with orange throat markings. The stems of bloom are 12 inches to 15 inches long and 3 inches in diameter. The species was introduced by Wilson from China. The plants although frozen to the ground nearly every Winter, will start up nicely and grow 6 feet to 8 feet tall. The minimum temperature which the roots will stand seems to be about 10 deg. below zero. There are several varieties but B. v. var. magaifica, which blooms from June until October, is the best form because of its superior flowering habit.
UTILIZE. Buddleias make excellent cut flowers. As a garden subject they make attractive specimen plants. Besides.their charming color and fragrance, they are rightly named the Butterfly Bush, because they are continually covered with handsome butterflies.
GENERAL. Plant Buddleias in well drained soil, and they will bloom the first year after planting. Many growers seem to believe that protected plants freeze as readily as those given no covering of any sort.
PROPAGATION. The best method of propagation, if a greenhouse is available, is to make cuttings in September and October and grow them through the Winter in the greenhouse, in which case they will be large blooming plants by Springtime. Out of doors, the Buddleias are readily propagated from young shoots rooted either in sand or water. It is a bit difficult to get the young plants through the first Winter in the severer climates.
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