Buddleja davidii Butterfly Candy Little White - Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii Butterfly Candy® Little White ('Botex003') is an interesting variety of butterfly bush known for its small size and long attractive flowering throughout the summer, accompanied by a sweet and light fragrance. With its elegant and balanced silhouette, this variety is well suited for small gardens and container cultivation. From summer to autumn, this dwarf buddleja is covered with attractive white conical spikes of flowers that are appealing to butterflies and bees. Hardy, easy to grow, and undemanding, it is a beautiful addition to any garden. Ideal for biodiversity, Little White adds to the Butterfly Candy series, which includes five other colours: Ruby, Purple, Pink, Lila, and Sweetheart.

The genus Buddleja comprises about a hundred species of deciduous or evergreen bushes, native to China, Africa, South Asia, and South America. They are named after Adam Buddle, a famous English botanist of the 17th century. This genus is sometimes spelled as 'Buddleia,' but the official spelling seems to be 'Buddleja.'

Belonging to the Scrophulariaceae (Buddlejaceae) family, Little White is a hybrid recently selected in the Netherlands by Botanic Experience BV and Dutch breeder Van Son & Koot from Kaatsheuvel. In 2021, it received the prestigious Bronze Award KVBC Summer Challenge 2021 from the Royal Society for Cultivation, Boskoop.

Little White is a small plant with a rounded habit that does not exceed 80 cm (32 in). This variety has very branched growth with short upright branches, giving it a balanced stature. The deciduous foliage falls in winter and regrows in spring. It consists of opposite lanceolate leaves measuring about 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in) long and 2 to 3 cm (1 in) wide, slightly hairy, and green-grey-silver in colour. Flowering occurs over 4 to 5 months, from June-July to October, depending on the region. The flowers are small tubular white flowers tinged with yellow, gathered in long conical panicles at the ends of the branches, measuring 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) long. The flowers release a sweet fragrance reminiscent of honey, highly sought after by pollinating insects and butterflies. During the summer, after each wave of flowers, light pruning encourages the buddleja to develop new flowering shoots. This hardy shrub tolerates urban pollution very well and does not suffer from occasional drought. When grown in pots, it will require regular watering and some fertiliser to support its growth and flowering.

There is a great diversity of varieties in the Buddleja category, with each as unique as the next, but Little White stands out for its striking habit and intense flowering with a delicate fragrance. Thanks to its compact habit, it is perfect for containers to embellish terraces and balconies in combination with other shrubs for pots. Its silver-green-grey foliage contrasting with its intense and elegant flowering allows for easy pairing with colourful perennials (Asters, Delphiniums, Echinaceas, Hemerocallis, Kniphofias, etc.), roses for shrub beds, medium-sized grasses, or flowering shrubs (Abelias, Caryopteris, Lavenders, Potentillas, Spiraeas, etc.). Wherever you choose to plant it, this dwarf buddleja will bring the garden to life.