Buddleja davidii Santana - Butterfly Bush

Buddleia davidii 'Santana' is a bush that stands out for its exceptional variegated foliage of green edged with bright yellow. It contrasts wonderfully well with its long inflorescences of sumptuous red-purple, which bloom from July to September. The flowers emit a fragrance that matches their colour: rich and intense. The flowers are popular with butterflies. This flowering enlivens the whole summer. This vigorous bush displays a superb spreading habit. It is easy to grow in ordinary soil, even poor and occasionally dry. Buddleias are majestic in the background, but also work well as the centrepiece of large shrub borders and flowering hedges.

Buddleia davidii 'Santana' is a deciduous to semi-evergreen bush belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family. It is derived, among others, from David's Buddleia, also called Father David's Buddleia or the Changing Buddleia, a robust Chinese species that has become invasive in our climates. The cultivar 'Santana' was obtained in 2002 by the British horticulturist Rod Dransfield from a spontaneous mutation discovered on a 'Royal Red' B. davidii plant.

Like its excellent parent, 'Santana' has an open and gracefully spreading habit, supported by arching branches. It will reach an average height of 2.5 m (8.2 ft) with a spread of 3 m (9.8 ft) in 7 or 8 years, depending on the growing conditions. It flowers from July to September to produce an abundance of paniculate flowers, 25 cm to 35 cm (9.8 in to 13.8 in) long. These flowers are purplish-violet with a red-orange eye and release a sweet fragrance, which is highly attractive to pollinating insects. The ornamental foliage is composed of long green leaves irregularly edged with bright yellow, with a more greyish down on the underside. The leaves, 15 cm to 25 cm (5.9 in to 9.8 in) long, are pointed and lanceolate. This very hardy bush resists urban pollution and 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 'Santana' will enhance the garden in a unique way. Its almost red inflorescences animated by a constant flight of butterflies are a spectacle in themselves. Paired with its remarkably bright foliage, they are irresistible. This beautiful bush highlights 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 free hedge, with botanical roses, serviceberries, hawthorns, ornamental apple trees, or other prunus. It adapts well to seaside conditions and can be grown in containers on a terrace. Its fragrant flowers are also very attractive in bouquets. You can also associate this Buddleia with tall grasses (Miscanthus, Panicum, Deschampsia), for an elegant contrast.