Buddleja colvilei
Colvile butterfly bush
A vigorous, deciduous or semi-evergreen, large shrub or small tree to 6m in height, with long, narrow, pointed, dark green leaves. Produces tight, hanging sprays up to 20cm long of small, dark red or dark pink flowers in early summer
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Size
Ultimate height
4–8 metresTime to ultimate height
10–20 yearsUltimate spread
4–8 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Pink Red | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter | Green |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
ShelteredDrought resistance
Yes Hardiness
H4Botanical details
- Family
- Scrophulariaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Buddleja can be evergreen or deciduous shrubs, occasionally trees or scrambling climbers with simple leaves and panicles of small, tubular fragrant flowers
- Name status
Correct
How to grow
Cultivation
Needs a sunny, sheltered spot with excellent drainage; in areas prone to winter wet, it may be best grown in containers and overwintered in a cool greenhouse. See buddleja cultivation for more detailed advice
Propagation
Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in summer
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Gravel garden
- Mediterranean climate plants
- Climber and wall shrubs
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Pruning group 2, or Pruning group 13 for wall-trained plants
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, capsid bugs, caterpillars, earwigs, figwort weevils, glasshouse red spider mite, leaf and bud eelworm, and mullein moth
Diseases
May be susceptible to honey fungus, fungal leaf spot, and virus diseases
Get involved
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