Buddleja Lochinch - Butterfly Bush

Buddleia 'Lochinch' is a hybrid Butterfly Bush of great ornamental value. The vigorous and very hardy sterile shrub produces long and beautiful lilac-blue spikes with orange eyes and a delightful fragrance on slightly silvery foliage that becomes greener as it matures. This variety is recurrent: it can flower multiple times if the shrub is regularly pruned. Superb in a flower bed and remarkable in a free hedge. Plant in not too dry soil.

Buddleia 'Lochinch' is an old cultivar resulting from the accidental cross-breeding between Buddleia davidii and B. fallowiana. It was discovered in 1940 in the garden of Lochinch Castle, on the west coast of Scotland. Extremely popular, 'Lochinch' received the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

This shrub has a significant asset: its nectar-rich flowering! It's no wonder it's called the Butterfly Bush. With an elegant, slightly spreading habit, Buddleia 'Lochinch' has vigorous and rapid growth: it can reach a height and spread of 2 m to 3 m (3.3 ft to 9.8 ft) in 5 years. Its slightly arching stems are covered with whitish down. They bear opposite, ovate and pointed leaves, 8 cm to 10 cm (3.1 in to 3.9 in) long, covered with silvery hairs, becoming almond-green when mature. This very decorative foliage can persist through the winter in mild climates. The flowering period of this variety varies somewhat depending on the climate. In cooler regions, it occurs from August to October. In warmer regions, the flowers appear first in June, then more sporadically throughout the summer: severe pruning after the first wave of flowers results in a beautiful rebloom in October. Its inflorescences are dense and upright flower spikes, measuring up to 20 cm to 25 cm (7.9 in to 9.8 in) long, composed of tiny lilac blue flowers with orange throats. Their honey scent attracts many butterflies and other pollinators.

Buddleia 'Lochinch' is easily grown in any sufficiently deep and loose garden soil, even calcareous, that is not too dry in summer. It can be planted at the back of a flower bed, for example with pink or white Potentilla shrubs, pink or white Spirea, Deutzia or Caryopteris. In a flowering hedge, plant with Mock Orange, Lilacs, Japanese Quince, and wild roses.