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fountain butterflybush

Scientific Name: Buddleja alternifolia

Family: Buddlejaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Tree, Shrub

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Fountain Butterfly Bush (Buddleja alternifolia)

The Fountain Butterfly Bush, scientifically known as Buddleja alternifolia, is a striking shrub prized for its cascading, fountain-like appearance when in bloom.

Considerations for Pets

  • This plant can grow to a large size (up to 12 feet tall and wide).

Considerations for Children

  • This plant can grow to a large size (up to 12 feet tall and wide).

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Buddleja alternifolia
  • Common Names: Fountain Butterfly Bush, Fountain Buddleja, Alternate-leaved Butterfly Bush, Silver Fountain Butterfly Bush, Chinese Butterfly Bush
  • Family: Scrophulariaceae (formerly Loganiaceae)
  • Synonyms/Alternative Spelling: Buddleja alternifolia 'Argentea'

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to China, specifically Kansu, where it thrives along river banks and in thickets.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • A tall shrub or small tree, reaching up to 12 feet in height and width.
  • Deciduous shrub with an arching, fountain-like growth habit.
  • Can be trained as a standard (single stem) to resemble a small tree, ideal for smaller gardens.
  • Leaves are narrow, slender, alternate, and can grow up to 4 inches long. The 'Argentea' variety has leaves covered in silvery hairs, giving it a silvery sheen.
  • Flowers are lilac/purple or lavender-purple, very fragrant, and bloom in mid-spring (April) to early June.

Ecological Role

  • Attracts butterflies, providing a food source.

Additional Information

  • Hardy to Zone 5 (and even Zone 4 for certain varieties).
  • Tolerates various soil types, including heavier clay soils.
  • Unlike many other Buddleja davidii cultivars, it should not be cut to the ground each year.
  • Pruning should be done in the summer, unlike other Butterfly Bush shrubs, whose pruning schedule differs.

Quirky Facts

  • While most butterfly bushes bloom from July through September, the Fountain Butterfly Bush blooms earlier, in early June.
  • The 'Argentea' variety has silvery foliage.
  • Can be trained into a standard, or single-stemmed small tree.

Further Resources

  • Dave's Garden
  • Plant Select (1998 entry)
  • Garden Gate Magazine (for instructions on training as a standard)