The best violet, mauve and purple butterfly bushes for your garden

Buddleja davidii ‘Black Knight’

‘Black Knight’ is a Buddleia davidii cultivar that is hard to ignore, due to its unusually bold colour. Throughout the summer it produces long panicles reaching nearly 30 cm. Each cone-shaped panicle bears a multitude of small flowers in a very dark violet, with hues that appear almost black, simply warmed by tiny orange centres.

This flowering is, of course, fragrant and attractive to pollinators. It contrasts perfectly with silvery-green foliage.

Like most other Buddleias, ‘Black Knight’ is easy to grow, sturdy and hardy. It will thrive in full sun in all well-drained soils.

Expect a height of about 3 metres and a 2-metre spread for this vigorous variety, which will be ideal in a free-standing hedge or when grown as a specimen. Pair it with grasses to add lightness and, if desired, play with orange-flowered varieties for an exotic and vibrant touch.

Buddleja davidii ‘Lilac Chip’

‘Lilac Chip’ is an adorable dwarf Buddleja, not exceeding 70 cm in height with a 1 m spread. This dwarf variety will fit anywhere, in a pot on the terrace or balcony, but also in borders or rockeries. Its prostrate silhouette, wider than tall, makes a pretty groundcover thanks to its silvery-green foliage.

In summer, ‘Lilac Chip’ produces flower spikes about fifteen centimetres long, comprising small flowers in a delicate lilac, with an orange throat. Fragrant, they attract all kinds of insects.

Hardy and easy to grow, this Buddleja will thrive in full sun in any ordinary soil, even poor. Pair it with small Ceanothus to create a harmonious colour palette.

The Buddleja davidii x fallowiana 'Lochinch'

‘Lochinch’ is a vigorous Buddleja that will require some space to accommodate its 3 m in all directions. Between June and October, it flowers in successive waves, rewarding us with large cone-shaped inflorescences of around 20 cm in length. They consist of clusters of small flowers in a delicate lilac mauve, with an orange centre. This flowering exudes sweet honeyed notes that attract pollinators. To make the most of this repeat flowering, prune the faded flowers as they appear.

This Buddleja is also interesting for its silvery foliage, turning almond-green at maturity.

‘Lochinch’ will be perfect in a free-standing hedge, but also in a romantic garden beside roses and hydrangeas in white or pale pink tones. Install this Buddleja in full sun, in a position not too scorching, in average soil, rather cool (which never dries out completely).

Buddleja davidii ‘Purple Emperor’

‘Purple Emperor’ lives up to its name: this Buddleia is a true ambassador of the colour purple! Throughout the summer, it flowers generously, unveiling beautiful clusters of flowers in a rich purplish violet. Like its companions, it offers a fragrant flowering with honeyed notes, which explains its great appeal to insects.

The flowers are highlighted by lanceolate foliage, green with a silvery tint, which will fade in autumn.

With a compact habit, it will not exceed 1.5 metres in all directions, making it easy to grow in a pot. Hardy and low-maintenance, it will be an ideal candidate for flowering and scenting sunny terraces, balconies and courtyards. Also suitable for a small urban garden, as it tolerates pollution.

Buddleja davidii ‘Moonshine’

The Buddleja davidii ‘Moonshine’ is a recent variety, distinguished by its particularly bright foliage. The lanceolate leaves are initially dark golden yellow in spring, then taking lime green tints as the weeks go by. The flowering is obviously very ornamental as well: it consists of panicles of purple-violet flowers, contrasting with a small orange throat.

This small Buddleja has a modest silhouette, reaching only 1.4 metres in height with a 1 metre spread. It will pair beautifully with yellow-flowering perennials and annuals, a colour complementary to purple. Hardy and easy to grow, it will require only well-drained soil in a sunny position to thrive.

Buddleja davidii ‘Empire Blue’

The blue colour doesn’t really exist in Buddleias, but ‘Empire Blue’ is certainly among the varieties that come closest to that colour. Throughout the summer, it produces long panicles of around 20 cm in length, bearing a bright blue-violet colour, contrasting well with the orange eye of each tiny flower. The flowering is naturally fragrant and prized by insects.

The deciduous foliage is dark green, lighter on the underside.

Its slender, graceful silhouette reaches 3 metres in height with a 2-metre spread. It will be ideal for quickly creating a protective vegetation screen. In a flowering hedge, it will accompany Vitex and crape myrtle in the same tones, such as Lagerstroemia indica ‘Violacea’.

Equally tolerant as its peers, this butterfly tree will grow in any ordinary soil, even poor, calcareous and occasionally dry.

Buddleja davidii 'Masquerade'

‘Masquerade’ is a purple Buddleia that stands out with its variegated foliage. These lance-shaped leaves are green with a cream margin, making them particularly bright. They pair wonderfully with the summer flowering, which consists of handsome 20 cm-long flower spikes in a purple-violet shade.

This butterfly tree will reach a height of 2.5 metres and a 3-metre spread. Provide it with a sunny position in well-drained, ordinary soil. Grow it as a flowering hedge, for example alongside potentillas.