Buddleja davidii Camberwell Beauty - Butterfly Bush

Buddleia Camberwell Beauty ('Camkeep') (English Butterfly Series) is a recent but little-known variety of butterfly bush. It forms large panicles divided into several spikes, covered with thousands of small deep violet flowers, illuminated by a red-orange heart. Its flowering lasts all summer and attracts pollinators, especially butterflies, in large numbers. Its medium green foliage persists in mild winter climates, offering an additional asset in winter. It is a bushy and compact shrub with a rounded habit, whose dimensions are well suited to small gardens and sunny borders. Hardy and very easy to grow in all sunny soils.

Camberwell Beauty was developed by Elizabeth Keep in her garden after retirement and received the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Particularly compact, it produces branched panicles 25 cm to 30 cm (9.8 in to 11.8 in) long.

Camberwell Beauty will not exceed 1 m (3.3 ft) in height with a spread of 1.5 m (4.9 ft). This variety develops bushy and rounded vegetation, with short and dense branches, quickly forming a dome higher than wide. The foliage is semi-evergreen, remaining on the branches throughout the winter in mild climates, but deciduous in cold regions. It consists of slightly hairy, medium green, elliptical leaves measuring about 8 cm to 10 cm (3.1 in to 3.9 in) long and 3 cm to 4 cm (1.2 in to 1.6 in) wide, with young shoots that highlight the intense flower colouration. The plant blooms from July to September. Emerging from the foliage are panicles of flowers, divided into several spikes. These flowers are blue-violet in colour and release a light honey fragrance, highly sought after by pollinating insects. They fade discreetly and do not need to be pruned. This hardy shrub does not suffer from occasional drought in deep soil. When grown in pots, it will require regular watering and some fertiliser to support its growth and flowering.

Camberwell Beauty is perfect in a pot on a terrace, and will easily find its place in the garden, even when space is limited. It integrates easily at the front of a perennial or shrub border and looks good at the edge of a pathway or above a wall. Plant with ground cover roses, dwarf abelias, pink coneflowers, and asters.