Buddleja 'Podcept1' HIGH FIVE PURPLE

Buddleja is better known as butterfly bush. The reason is obvious – from early summer when it starts blooming until early autumn it produces large, scented flowers that attract winged insects, mostly butterflies. Old varieties are commonly large shrubs, however, more and more modern plants are bred for smaller and compact growth. This one is even dwarf - it is a hybrid called HIGH FIVE PURPLE and was bred by American buddleja guru Peter Podaras who already produced two successful series of buddleja - Hinbud and Flutterby, where the latter makes colours so far unseen.

HIGH FIVE PURPLE is a small butterfly bush of a very elegant, upright habit. From mid July appear conical inflorescences composed of tiny trumpets of lavender violet colour. They are sweetly fragrant and ccontinue blooming until autumn if you regularly deadhead spent flowers. Deciduous leaves are rather small, broadly elliptic, partly hairy, and medium to light green.

Butterfly bush requires little care. Still, we strongly recommend hard pruning every spring to low permanent framework when buds begin to swell. Plant it in full sun, in well-drained humus-rich soil. It will die in boggy soil after winter. Though hardy to -29°C (USDA zone 5) it performs better in warmer zones. We suggest buying older plants with woody framework for planting in colder areas.

Last update 11-09-2018