Buddleja davidii Sugar Plum - Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii 'Sugar Plum', also known as Buddleja Sugar Plum ('Lonplum'), is a recent hybrid with many qualities! Its habit is more compact than the typical variety and forms a small, dense bush. From summer to autumn, it projects flower spikes in all directions. Its flowers are a deep purple-red and contrast remarkably well with its silvery grey-green foliage. It can be grown in a pot on a terrace, in the ground in a border, or as part of a hedge. Hardy and undemanding, this butterfly bush will easily bring life to your outdoor spaces!

The buddleja genus includes around a hundred species of deciduous or evergreen shrubs, native to China, Africa, South Asia, and South America. They are named after Adam Buddle, a famous English botanist from the 17th century. This genus is sometimes spelled 'Buddleia', but the official spelling appears to be 'Buddleja'. Most buddlejas are shrubs with a flexible and irregular habit, giving them a very natural appearance.

'Sugar Plum' is a result of a cross between Buddleja davidii 'Royal Red' and B. davidii 'Summer Beauty', and it combines the main qualities of these two varieties: very vibrant purple flowers and a compact and dense habit. This small-growing shrub reaches a height of 1.5 to 2.5 m (5 to 8 ft) with a spread of 1 to 1.5 m (3 to 5 ft). It forms a generous, well-branched bush with a fairly orderly silhouette for a buddleja. Its arching branches bear deciduous, silvery grey-green foliage. Its long leaves measure over 10 cm (4 in), are simple, lanceolate, opposite, and have slightly toothed margins. From mid-summer to autumn, Buddleja davidii 'Sugar Plum' is covered in flower spikes that project in all directions, above its still visible foliage, creating a striking contrast of colours. This flowering consists of small tubular flowers in shades of pink-red with a yellow throat, arranged in long conical panicles at the end of the branches. The racemes are very dense and can measure up to 30 cm (12 in) long. The flowers release a light sweet fragrance that attracts bees and butterflies. The flowering is followed by fruiting in the form of small round capsules containing numerous seeds that birds help to disperse. Some buddleja species are considered invasive due to their abundant self-seeding. However, it should be noted that these shrubs generally colonise areas heavily impacted by human activity, particularly urban areas. Buddleja davidii, or David's butterfly bush, is one of these invasive species that should be controlled to prevent its spread.

Gardeners appreciate the long summer flowering of buddlejas and use them in hedgerows, borders, and as standalone plants when their size allows. Thanks to its modest size and compact habit, Buddleja davidii 'Sugar Plum' can easily be grown in a container. It decorates terraces and balconies for long months with its striking foliage and radiant flowering. This dwarf buddleja can also be planted individually in a small garden without fear of going unnoticed! You can also use it in a flower bed or hedge, combined with a 'Red Heart' hibiscus for the contrast of its white flowers, Pseudowintera 'Mount Congreve' for its dense and decorative foliage, or a 'Falconnet Charlet' flowering quince for its dark pink spring blossoms.