Buddleja speciosissima
Vigorous, deciduous shrub, evergreen in warm climates and rare in cultivation, about 2-3m tall, with elongated mid-green leaves, the stems and leaves covered in felty, white-wooly indumentum. Felty bright orange-red flowers with long tubes to 2-3cm long are produced in panicles to 20cm long in summer
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Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
1.5–2.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Grey Silver Green White | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Orange Red | Grey Silver Green White | ||
| Autumn | Grey Silver Green White | |||
| Winter | Grey Silver Green White |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
ShelteredDrought resistance
Yes Hardiness
H3Botanical details
- Family
- Scrophulariaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous or Semi evergreen
- Habit
- Spreading branched
- Genus
Buddleja can be evergreen or deciduous shrubs, occasionally trees or scrambling climbers with simple leaves and panicles of small, tubular fragrant flowers
- Name status
Correct
How to grow
Cultivation
Suited to southern counties and innner city microclimates only where it can be grown in well-drained soil in full sun. with shelter from cold winds, can be trained on a warm sheltered wall. Ideal for a large conservatory or greenhouse. See buddleja cultivation for more detailed advice
Propagation
Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in summer, or by hardwood cuttings in autumn
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Sub-tropical
- Mediterranean climate plants
- Conservatory and greenhouse
Pruning
Pruning group 6 or Pruning group 13 for wall-trained plants
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, capsid bugs, caterpillars, earwigs, figwort weevils, glasshouse red spider mite, leaf and bud eelworm, and mullein moth
Diseases
May be susceptible to honey fungus, fungal leaf spot, and virus diseases
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