Buddleja alternifolia

Buddleja alternifolia
fountain butterfly bush

SIZE/TYPE	medium-sized shrub
USUAL HEIGHT	2-4m
USUAL WIDTH	2-3m
LEAVES	deciduous broadleaf
COLOUR OF LEAVES	green
FLOWERS	showy
COLOUR OF FLOWERS	violet
BLOOMING TIME	June - July
LOCATION	full sun
SOIL TYPE	any (acidic to alkaline)
SOIL MOISTURE REQUIREMENTS	evenly moist (dislikes drought)
USDA zone (lowest)	5 (down to -29°C)
WINTER PROTECTION
FOR ZONE 5+6
FOR ZONE 7
BELONGS TO CATEGORIES	Deciduous broadleaf

Fountain butterfly bush is a lovely form of a popular butterfly bush, with arching, almost weeping branches that can touch the ground after a few years of growing. This deciduous shrub comes from China and is cultivated for abundance of lilac-violet flowers that are clustered along its arching branches. Unlike the common butterfly bush these are borne on previous year’s wood so any sort of pruning should happen right after flowering in early to midsummer. Leaves are mid green or grey green, lanceolate, up to 7 cm long.

Fountain butterfly bush is a fast grower of an uneven, almost wild habit. For a more formal and neat appearance regular pruning is recommended. Keep a solid framework of strong branches and remove all weak and thin twigs. The plant will quickly make new growths and fill itself up. It is easy to grow as it loves poor, gritty soil and no extra fertilizing or watering. Just make sure it is placed in full sun. Hardy to about -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 04-02-2013

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GLOSSARY

STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.