Buddleja Orange Sceptre

Buddleia 'Orange Sceptre' is a variety of butterfly bush that is still rare in gardens. This medium-sized, compact bush is semi-evergreen and retains its leaves in regions with very mild winters. Its medium green foliage is greyish on the underside and covered with a pleasant fuzz. Its flowering is particularly ornamental, in the form of clusters of small flowers arranged in pagoda-like tiers on the branches. They are especially fascinating for their rare orange colour. Flowering covers a good part of the summer and autumn in temperate climates, and is even longer in mild regions.

The genus Buddleia, also spelled Buddleja, is now classified in the Scrophulariaceae family, along with hebe (shrubby speedwell), and Leucophyllum. While it is mainly known in our gardens through the species B. davidii, the popular butterfly bush (which is actually a shrub), the genus also includes numerous tropical and subtropical species, native to China and southern Asia, as well as Madagascar and South America.

'Orange Sceptre' is a hybrid obtained by American breeder John Lindstrom and his team at the University of Arkansas, as part of a scheme launched in 1999. They crossed B. stachyoides, the most widespread species of the genus in South America, with slightly orange-yellow flowers, with B. tubiflora, another botanical species native to the same continent, whose flowers are even more orange.

While it is visually similar to its parent B. stachyoides, the variety obtained from this cross stands out for the truly orange colour of its flowers. 'Orange Sceptre' forms a moderately-sized bush, ideal for small gardens and even container cultivation. It reaches approximately 2 to 2.4m (7 to 8ft) in height and 1.2 to 1.4m (4 to 5ft) in width. Its square-sectioned branches are hairy and bear opposite, decussate leaves, meaning they are arranged in pairs at right angles to each other at each node (forming a cross when viewed from above). These sessile leaves, directly attached to the branches without a petiole, are lanceolate, measuring 5 to 20cm (2 to 8in) in length and 2 to 7.5cm (1 to 3in) in width. Fuzzy to the touch, their upper surface is a medium green, while the underside is greyish. They are evergreen in mild climates, only dropping in winter due to freezing in colder regions.

The flowering is also particularly unique. It appears in the form of whorled inflorescences, made up of two groups (cymes) of small tube-shaped flowers that face each other. They look as though they have been placed on the leaves, which are also arranged in opposition. The clusters blooms at the ends of the branches, stacked on about ten levels. They can stretch for about 30cm (12in). These flowers have a lovely light orange colour, which is unique among Buddleias. The colour gives 'Orange Sceptre' a touch of resemblance to Leonotis leonurus, a South African perennial commonly found in Mediterranean gardens. With its South American heritage, this bush has inherited an endless flowering, covering almost the entire year in climates spared from frost (as long as the plant is growing, it is blooming!), and extending from July-August until late autumn in our temperate climates.

Less bulky than many varieties of the classic Buddleia davidii, 'Orange Sceptre' brings a breath of fresh air to the garden within the genus. Moderately hardy, it can withstand temperatures down to about -10°C (14°F), and can regrow from the stump when its vegetation has frozen. It will add a touch of exoticism to a flower bed. Pair it with Eucalyptus 'Baby Blue' to create astonishing colour contrasts, combining the blue foliage of this dwarf eucalyptus with the orange and green of 'Orange Sceptre'. You can also plant it alongside Embothrium coccineum, a semi-evergreen tree whose flamboyant red flowers have earned it the nickname "Chilean Fire Tree". In mild regions, Callistemon rigidus with its red bottlebrush-like flowers will also be a good companion for your buddleia.