Buddleja delavayi

RHS Plant Profile

Delavay's butterfly bush

John Fielding

Synonyms

Buddleja heliophila

Shrubs

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A bushy, deciduous shrub, up to 4m tall with lance-shaped, green leaves. The clusters of scented, pale pink and purple flowers are produced from late spring to mid-summer. Needs winter protection, best considered as a conservatory plant in the UK.

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Sand, Chalk, Loam, Clay

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height: 1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Sand Chalk Loam Clay

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Neutral or Alkaline or Acid

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H6

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Scrophulariaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
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
Plant Range: SW China

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained soil in full sun. See buddleja cultivation for more detailed advice

Propagation

Propagate by hardwood cuttings in autumn, or by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Wildlife gardens
Cottage and informal garden
City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 6

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