Buddleja

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MikeHardman

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Buddleja
« on: November 11, 2011, 06:51:41 PM »
I think it is about time Buddleja had a mention here.

I grow some B. davidii/officinalis, but they haven't done very well for me (but they are in a bed where several plants are not flourishing - yet). So I would like to grow these better; I have seen some vigorous specimens in gardens nearby.

But it seems that, out of the many species, there are other species worth trying in med. climates.
Here's one I had never heard of until I stumbled across it today: B. marrubifolia. It has a similar stature to Leucophyllum frutescens, for example, and small grey-green leaves, but small orange flowers. Maybe my painted ladies and red admirals would be interested in these flowers. As it is, they show little interest in my B. davidii; they are more intent on chasing passers-by and basking in the sun.
http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Buddleia_marrubifolia.html

That web site has a very interesting list of other xeriscape plants; reflecting the ones it grows in its own xeriscape garden.
http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/xeri_plantlist.html
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

Re: Buddleja
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2011, 07:34:57 PM »
Mike, I tried to cultivate B. marrubifolia in the Var. I tried two or three times, and every time the young plant died ! It seems rather difficult to cultivate here (too much rain in automn and spring ?), but I was never able to know why. I am very interested in growing advices about it. Its very interesting  because it decorates with flowers the winter at a moment when there are few flowers, and have a beautiful foliage.

There are other buddleja very interesting in my garden : B. officinalis with a fantastic scented in winter (it blooms about january, february), B. myriantha (beautiful blue flowers with a grey green foliage, almost grey white in full sun in summer) and B. madagascariensis wich blooms orange/yellow, like marrubifolia, also in winter/spring. After all, I chose madagascariensis for lack of success with marubifolia.
« Last Edit: November 11, 2011, 07:53:49 PM by Michel GAUTIER »
Michel GAUTIER
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My garden is a mediterranean garden located in South Est of France and you can visit it at this address : www.jardinsud.fr

ezeiza

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Re: Buddleja
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2011, 03:15:05 AM »
I would suggest pure coarse sand mixed with grit as the sole medium, a deep container and individual sowing with no pricking.

pamela

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Re: Buddleja
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2011, 08:09:05 AM »
When is the best time to prune Buddleja in a mediterranean climate? 
Jávea, Costa Blanca, Spain
Min temp 5c max temp 38c  Rainfall 550 mm 

"Who passes by sees the leaves;
 Who asks, sees the roots."
     - Charcoal Seller, Madagascar

Re: Buddleja
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2011, 03:50:31 PM »
Thank y ezeiza, I'll try like that. We shall see ...
Michel GAUTIER
MGS Member
My garden is a mediterranean garden located in South Est of France and you can visit it at this address : www.jardinsud.fr

Re: Buddleja
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2011, 01:23:10 PM »
To answer Pamela, here is when and how I prune my Buddelja :

- Buddleja officinalis blooms in south of France between january and march, according to weather. I prune it between april an june, but not after. The new branches are going to grow during the summer, and buds begin to appears on this new branches in automn, from october if the weather is soft. B. officinalis is a shrub of 3 m tall in my garden, and I prune it to keep in this proportions. So, I prune hard, and reduce until about 2 meters/ 2,5 meters. It's largely sufficient.

- Buddelja myriantha is much lower, and form a beautiful round busch of less of 1 meter. I prune it very softly, only the extremity of branches, only to eliminate the faded flowers. I do that in september or october, when I have the time, and it form fast new foliage grey white in full sun.

- Buddleja madagascariensis is very differents. In a first time, I pruned it at the end of spring, and very hard because I wanted keep it not too tall. It's impossible ! This buddleja is very vigourous and grows in a muddled way. I transplanted it this year at spring, and I intented to let it grow in tree without cutting. We shall see ...

There is an other shrub so interesting wich seem strangely to Buddleja davidii : Vitex agnus castus. It blooms blue, like Buddleja daviddi, but it is not a buddleja (family : Verbenaceae), and it attracts also the butterflies and much other insects. I think it's very important for the variety of the ecosystem of our gardens.
Michel GAUTIER
MGS Member
My garden is a mediterranean garden located in South Est of France and you can visit it at this address : www.jardinsud.fr

Umbrian

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Re: Buddleja
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2011, 05:52:27 PM »
Re your mention of Vitex Agnus Castus Michel, you will find a lot of interesting posts about this subject in the Our Gardens section.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

pamela

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Re: Buddleja
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2011, 10:02:23 AM »
Thank you very much Michel, thats very helpful information.  I have Buddleja davidii so expect it is to be treated the same as B officinalis.
Jávea, Costa Blanca, Spain
Min temp 5c max temp 38c  Rainfall 550 mm 

"Who passes by sees the leaves;
 Who asks, sees the roots."
     - Charcoal Seller, Madagascar

Re: Buddleja
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2011, 09:42:23 PM »
Yes Pamela, you can cut B. davidii like B. officinalis but in automn only because it blooms in summer.

Thank you Umbrian, I have just gone to see the topic on Vitex agnus castus : I returned a few months behind with this beautiful bloom.
Michel GAUTIER
MGS Member
My garden is a mediterranean garden located in South Est of France and you can visit it at this address : www.jardinsud.fr

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John J

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Re: Buddleja
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2015, 06:22:00 AM »
I realise that there has been no activity on this site for over 3 years so perhaps it's time for Buddleja madagascariensis to get a mention again. Our plants grow in a very vigorous and muddled way as Michel so accurately described it back in 2011, but they are providing a bright splash of orange at this time of year. Just a shame about the scent  :(
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

David Dickinson

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Re: Buddleja
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2015, 09:43:35 AM »
I can say that B. davidii is not very successful for me in pots on a balcony. It survives for a few years but gets increasingly weaker losing side branches until it dies off. I got B. davidii"buzz", a dwarf variety, last year and it seems to be doing very well. Cuttings, however, have not struck which in my experience is very unusual for Buddlejas

Buddleja madagascariensisis now in its 3rd year and still going strong. I would recommend that to balcony owners for winter colour. Scent is not its best feature but, at least my specimen, doesn't produce a strong scent and is only unpleasant if you get up really close.

Over Christmas I picked up 2 Buddlejas which I am giving a go. B Salvifolia and B. Glomerata. Does anybody have experience of these, especially as pot plants?
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

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Fermi

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Re: Buddleja
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2015, 04:34:04 AM »
I can say that B. davidii is not very successful for me in pots on a balcony. It survives for a few years but gets increasingly weaker losing side branches until it dies off. I got B. davidii"buzz", a dwarf variety, last year and it seems to be doing very well.
I szee that David Glenn's Lambley Nursery near Ballarat in Victoria have released 4 varieties of "Buzz" Buddleja in the latest catalogue http://lambley.com.au/perennial-catalogue?items_per_page=25
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

David Dickinson

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Re: Buddleja
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2015, 11:56:13 AM »
Thanks Fermi. I will keep my eye open for their arrival in Italy. There are a few plant shows coming up in the spring so fingers crossed.
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

Hilary

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Re: Buddleja
« Reply #13 on: June 01, 2015, 09:35:22 AM »
Buddleja salviifolia
Seen growing in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

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John J

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Re: Buddleja
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2020, 09:58:17 AM »
Five years ago I posted about our Buddleja madagascariensis. It's still going strong and is now in full bloom. Nice from a distance but the smell is a bit pungent close to. Fortunately the butterflies don't seem to mind.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)