Buddleja colvilei 'Kewensis'

RHS Plant Profile

butterfly bush 'Kewensis'

RHS

Shrubs Trees

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A semi-evergreen shrub or small tree to 6m tall with dark green, lance-shaped leaves. In early summer, large, tubular, rich red flowers with white throats hang in drooping clusters

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

4-8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 10–20 years
Max Spread: 4-8 metres
Max Height: 4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: 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): H4
Drought Resistance: Yes

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Scrophulariaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Semi evergreen
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: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Needs a sunny, sheltered spot with excellent drainage; in areas prone to winter wet, it may be best grown in containers and overwintered in a cool greenhouse. See buddleja cultivation for more detailed advice

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
City and courtyard gardens
Gravel garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Climber and wall shrubs
Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 2, 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