Buddleia alternifolia
Common name: Alternate-leaf butterfly bush Picture a dwarf weeping willow with silvery foliage that covers itself with fragrant lavender-blue flowers in early summer. That's alternate-leaf butterflybush. Should we call it ALBB for short? Well then, ALBB is a large shrub of exquisitely graceful habit, covered with willowy arching branches that create very fine texture. It has narrow dark green leaves with a silvery reverse; in the cultivar 'Argentea,' the leaves are covered with downy hairs which give the entire plant the look of being silver-plated. In early summer (May to June, depending on zone), the branches are covered with clusters of lavender-blue flowers. These appear in the leaf axils all along the branches, rather than in the terminal panicles of Buddleia davidii. The blossoms are lightly fragrant. img src='p/PPbacl.jpg' align='right' hspace='5' vspace='5'> ALBB requires well-drained soil, especially in the northern part of its range. Full sun is required for good flowering. Avoid heavy nitrogen fertilizers which can suppress blooming. Unlike Buddleia davidii, which is only root hardy in Zones 5 and 6 (but can still be grown as a "cut-back" shrub as it flowers on current year's wood), ALBB is truly hardy, suffering only minimal tip dieback in brutal winters. It flowers on previous year's wood, so prune it--if you need to--immediately after blooming in late June or early July, before next year's flower buds begin to develop. ALBB is a perfect shrub for the back of the mixed border. Its light, airy texture makes it a natural companion to perennials. And even when it is not in bloom, its billowy, weeping branches make for a beautiful structural contrast with other plant forms. One very interesting thing to do with ALBB is to train it into a standard (tree-like or lollipop) form. This is especially suitable to formal settings or to planting in a large tub. Here's what you do: Start with a very young plant. Choose the strongest branch if there are more than one, and cut all the others off at ground level. Remove all side branches from this branch or rub off all lateral buds, except those at the very end of the branch. Now, insert a strong stake in the ground next to this branch. Attach the branch with a figure-8 tie to the stake at 2 points to train it straight and vertically. During the growing season, remove any side shoots that develop below your selected branch point. Meanwhile, pinch the tips of the branches that grow out above this point to produce a bushy structure. Keep pinching throughout the summer. In subsequent years, prune the "head" of your standard right after flowering to maintain the desired form. Always remove any side branches below the head that develop, rubbing off lateral buds as they form. ALBB trained this way looks wonderful flanking a doorway or gate. In a pot, it looks superb underplanted with summer-flowering annuals. No matter how you grow it, ALBB is a plant sure to elicit the curiosity and admiration of your friends, who will probably never have encountered it. Of course, you'll have to tell them that ALBB stands for "alternate-leaf butterfly bush." But, as they say, an ALBB by any other name... Enjoy some other plants in profile: |
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Having a collector's mentality in my plant passion, I've had to learn how to make the best garden choices for myself and others. Here are my very favorite plants--some old, some new--but all plants that earn their place in any garden. Included are the latest and greatest plant introductions from France and the rest of Europe eminently suitable for New World gardens.
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