Buddleja davidii Peacock Peakeep - Butterfly Bush

Buddleia davidii Peacock, also known as Buddleja davidii Peacock ('Peakeep') (English Butterfly Series), is a medium-sized bush with dense foliage and a beautiful summer to autumn flowering. It takes the form of large panicles of pinkish-purple flowers with a small orange centre. These flowers are particularly popular with butterflies. This deciduous bush is spectacular in full bloom. It also has beautiful green and fuzzy foliage, which is more grey on the underside. Its modest size allows for easy integration into a small garden, in a shrub border, in a flowering hedge, but also in a container on a patio.

Buddleia davidii Peacock is a deciduous bush with a spreading and compact habit, belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family. This relatively recent cultivar comes from David's Buddleia, also known as Father David's Buddleia or the Changing Buddleia, a robust Chinese species that has become invasive in our climate. Peacock will reach approximately 1.5 m (4 .9 ft) in height and 1.5 m to 2 m (4.9 ft to 6.6 ft) in spread within 4 or 5 years. It produces sturdy, branched and arching stems that give it a lovely bushy and open habit. It blooms from July to September, producing an abundance of dense panicles of flowers measuring 15 cm to 25 cm (5.9 in to 9.8 in) long. These flowers are pinkish-purple with an orange eye and release a sweet fragrance, which is very attractive to pollinators. The ornamental foliage of this bush consists of long, soft green leaves, with a greyish fuzz on the underside. The leaves, measuring 12 cm to 20 cm (4.7 in to 7.9 in) long, are pointed and lanceolate. This very hardy bush is resistant to urban pollution and can tolerate occasional drought in deep soil.

Whether planted individually or in groups, in a hedge or at the back of a perennial border, Buddleia davidii Peacock will enhance any garden. Its pink inflorescences complement the orange, salmon, and pink flowers of roses, as well as the colourful panicles of summer lilacs. You can also plant it in a small, informal hedge to create a separation between two themed areas in the garden. It adapts well to coastal areas and can be grown in large pots. Its fragrant flowers are also lovely in bouquets. You can pair it with Japanese Spireas or tall grasses (Miscanthus, Panicum, Deschampsia) for an elegant contrast.