If you don’t already have a pollinator friendly garden started in your yard then there is no time like the present! Also known as summer lilac, Buddleja is a perfect offering for butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees! They also have a wonderful fragrance for us to enjoy. They range in size depending on your selection. If you are limited on space our personal favorite dwarf variety is the Blue Chip Jr. This adorable Buddleja grows just over 2′ tall and wide. It can be easily tucked into even the most jam-packed garden in the Pacific Northwest.
This flowering shrub is quite drought tolerant once established. It is important for them to be planted in well-draining soil or the roots will certainly suffer from root rot. The best way to avoid this is by breaking up the clay in your soil by amending the hole with Gardner and Bloome’s Soil Building Conditioner. We have 1.5 and 3 cubic foot bags available to purchase. Buddleja will also benefit from adding a tree and shrub fertilizer at the time of planting and again each spring. If planted in direct sun they are hardy to zone 5 and deer resistant. WHAT!? Did I just say deer resistant? I sure did, you happy gardeners you.
Buddleja blooms in the warm summer months which explains their somewhat late arrival to the nursery floor each summer. They are a perfect pairing to the true lilac, Syringa Vulgaris for a full summer of blooming beauty. There are plenty of shades of purple to choose from too! Ranging from light to dark purple you can work these into many color schemes. If you are trying to bring butterflies into your yard by creating a habitat garden Buddleja is a great place to start. Their nectar attracts adult butterflies while also providing shade and shelter. To create a more sustainable habitat however you will want to plant Asclepias, commonly known as milkweed and other flowers that butterfly larvae can eat like Zinnia and Agastache.
