Buddleia davidii Prince Charming MONARCH - Butterfly Bush

Buddleia davidii 'Prince Charming' (Monarch) brings something new to the world of butterfly bushes with its unprecedented red flowering. Raspberry red, cherry pink, carmine in bud, its flowers are undeniably more brilliantly coloured than those of other so-called red varieties. In addition to the vibrant colour of the inflorescences, they have a delicious honey scent that attracts butterflies throughout the summer. This shrub is easy to grow in ordinary, even mediocre and occasionally dry soil, and its moderate growth is suitable for gardens of all sizes. Buddleias are majestic in the background, and make a perfect centrepiece in large shrub borders and flowering hedges.

Buddleia davidii 'Prince Charming' is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub, which loses its foliage depending on the severity of the winter. It belongs to the Scrophulariaceae (Buddlejaceae) family. This recently obtained American cultivar comes from Buddleia davidii, also known as Father David's buddleia or Changing buddleia. It is a robust Chinese species that has become invasive in our climates. 'Prince Charming' is a more or less sterile hybrid, which does not self-seed in the garden or in nature.

The shrub has an open and gracefully spreading habit, supported by arching branches. It will reach an average of 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in all directions in 7 or 8 years, depending on the growing conditions. It flowers from July to September to produce an abundance of dense flower panicles, 20 cm to 25 cm (7.9 in to 9.8 in) long. The flowers change from carmine red to cherry red and then to raspberry red, before fading slightly to bright pink. They release a sweet, very attractive fragrance for pollinating insects. Its ornamental foliage consists of long, dark green leaves, with a slightly greyish down on the underside. The leaves, 15 cm to 18 cm (5.9 in to 7.1 in) long, are pointed and lanceolate. This very hardy shrub is resistant to urban pollution, and it does not suffer from occasional drought in deep soil.

Whether planted individually or in groups, in a hedge, at the corner of a terrace or at the back of a perennial border, Buddleia davidii 'Prince Charming' will enhance the garden in a unique way. Its richly coloured inflorescences, animated by a constant and multicoloured flight of butterflies, are a spectacle in themselves. They also highlight the blue flowers of Ceanothus 'Gloire de Versailles', for example, or the mauve and white panicles of certain summer lilacs. You can also plant it in a mixed hedge, with botanical roses, serviceberries, hawthorns, Japanese quinces, abelias, and forsythias to extend the flowering season. It adapts well to coastal areas and can be grown in containers on a terrace. Its fragrant flowers are also lovely in bouquets. You can pair it with tall grasses (Miscanthus, Panicum, Deschampsia) for an elegant contrast.