Butterfly Bush is a woody shrub that has been cultivated into blooming with an astonishing array of colors. The scent of the flowers is reminiscent of honey and the blooms are strongly attractive to butterflies, bees and even some hummingbirds. This all seems positive so far, but buddleia does have some challenges and issues.
Buddleia in Florida
In West Central Florida, buddleia just does not do well. Although we occasionally put a few buddleia in the Flight Encounter for the butterflies, buddleia does not survive well in Florida. Our long, hot summers stress Buddleia davidii (the most common cultivar) and plants often succumb to mites, rust and nematodes. If you buy and plant this species, you’ll likely have to treat it as an annual.
Invasive Buddleia
Most commercially available Buddleia are cultivars of Buddleia davidii, a species native to China and Tibet. In many states this species has become an invasive. Re-seeding readily, this particular buddleia and quickly get out of control, spreading from gardens to naturalized areas and outcompeting native plants.
If you grow Buddleia davidii, you can remove the flower heads right after the flowers have finished blooming. Seeds of this species have tiny wings and can be dispersed quite far just by the wind. Seeds left on the ground do tend to sprout so make sure to compost the seed heads or put them out with your yard waste for collection.
Make sure to check your local laws and restrictions to make sure that buddleia is not labeled as an invasive plant in your area.
What’s in a Name?
Buddleja americana was the first of the 100 or so Buddleia species known to science. Native to Central and South America, the Scottish botanist William Houston (1695–1733) sent back seeds and plants from his travels and the species was later named by Carl Linnaeus, the father of binomial nomenclature. When naming the genus, Linnaeus respected the wishes of William Houston and named the genus after botanist and rector Rev. Adam Buddle (1662–1715).
Is it Right for your Garden?
Botanists and ecologists argue cases both in favor and against utilizing buddleia in cultivated gardens and here at BioWorks we tend to suggest native Florida plants for Florida gardens. Owing to the many issues, your probably can’t count on this shrub for a long life in West Central Florida, but for the short time that it survives, it will be lovely in the garden.
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at University of Texas at Austin lists five species of buddleia that are native to North America. Unfortunately for Florida gardeners, these species are native to Texas and probably wouldn’t be very fond of our wet summers.
Great - informative post. I live in central Florida and apparently I'm purchasing the non-invasive Buddleia since I struggle to keep them alive and blooming. They have such unique blooms that the butterflies love - I for one will keep trying with this beauty.
ReplyDelete