New plants: Buddleja Little Ruby (Butterfly Candy Series)

Three plants jointly won the position of top newcomer in the latest RHS Plant Finder; that is, the new introduction that is offered by the most RHS Plant Finder nurseries. I’ve already brought you news of one of the winners, Salvia Pink Amistad (‘Arggr17-011’), but the one that instantly grabs my attention is Buddleja Little Ruby.

What’s so special about Buddleja Little Ruby?

Many new buddleja varieties have been introduced recently – probably too many – including nearly thirty in 2022 and another dozen in 2023. But the standout must be the Butterfly Candy series and, in particular, Buddleja davidii Little Ruby (‘Botex 006’).
 
Little Ruby is offered by more RHS Plant Finder nurseries than any other new buddleja and for good reason. It has six special features – its height, its prolific flowering, the shape of its flower spikes, its colour, its sweet scent and the fact that its leaves are quite small, matching the size of the plant and its flowers.
 

© Plantipp

© Plantipp

• 10 AGM shrubs for containers

From July to October, the rich ruby pink of its flowers makes Buddleja Little Ruby a standout, with four or five secondary spikes opening immediately below the original flowerhead to extend the flowering season. This new dwarf buddleja has not been seen to set seed, so should never produce annoying self-sown seedlings. There are also five other matching colours in the Butterfly Candy series.

Where did Buddleja Little Ruby come from?

Buddleja Little Ruby was developed in The Netherlands by Johannes Koot at the Botanic Experience nursery at Kaatsheuvel, between Rotterdam and Eindhoven. The aim of his breeding programme is to create new buddleja varieties with a neat and compact habit, combined with unique flower colours and prolific blooming.

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Growing Buddleja Little Ruby

Buddleja Little Ruby grows best in full sun in a well-drained, fertile soil and is hardy down to RHS H6 (hardy in a very cold winter). In the same way as larger, more traditional buddlejas, Little Ruby should be deadheaded when the flowers fade and pruned back hard in spring to leave three or four

A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers.

• How to grow buddleja

 Ideally suited to container growing, be sure that Little Ruby does not dry out, and stand the container on feet to encourage good drainage.

• Growing plants in containers

Where can I buy Buddleja Little Ruby?

More inspiration

• All about buddlejas
• How to fit trees and shrubs into a small garden

• 10 flowering trees for small gardens

• More trees for containers

© Plantipp