Buddleja Davidii Adonis Blue Butterfly Bush

Buddleja Adonis Blue is a deciduous mid-sized shrub with large 20 centimetre long flower panicles. Its flowers are a beautiful deep blue shade and most attractive for wildlife-friendly gardens and informal mixed borders. 

Buddleja Davidii or Butterfly Bush is native to Japan and central China’s Sichuan and Hubei provinces. It was named after the Reverend Adam Buddle and the French missionary Father Armand David, both of whom were botanists and explorers. It was found in 1887, entered the British market in the 1890s, and has been popular ever since.

The cultivar Buddleja Davidii Adonis Blue is smaller than the parent plant which can reach several metres in height. It was bred by Elizabeth Keep when she crossed a hybrid of B. fallowiana alba and B. davidii ‘Black Knight with B. davidii ‘Black Knight’.
Its deep blue fragrant panicles of summertime blooms can reach 20 centimetres long. Each panicle is made from a profusion of tiny blue flowers on arching branches with grey-green lance-shaped leaves.
Adonis Blue’s flowers can last from mid-summer to early autumn and in mild areas its foliage is semi-evergreen. The RHS has awarded Butterfly Bush Adonis Blue the RHS Plants for Pollinators badge because it is so attractive to bees, hoverflies, and especially butterflies.

Buddleja Adonis Blue is synonymous with Buddleja Davidii Adokeep. It’s named after the blue Adonis Butterfly in line with Elizabeth Keep’s range of British butterfly-named buddleja.

Height And Spread of Buddleja Adonis Blue
This is a mid-sized buddleja that reaches a maximum height and spread of 1.5 metres.

How Hardy Is Buddleja Adonis Blue
Butterfly Bush is hardy enough to withstand freezing British temperatures in well-drained soil. It is relatively drought-resistant and rarely bothered by pests or diseases.

How To Use Buddleja Adonis Blue
This is a tidy and compact buddleja that suits mixed informal flower borders in country cottage-style gardens and low maintenance wildlife-friendly spaces.
If you’re looking to attract pollinators, then buddleja is a must-have. It’s called butterfly bush for its unparalleled pollinator magnet properties.
You can grow Buddleja Davidii Adonis Blue in a large well-watered and fed container on a balcony or create soft structures in urban courtyards.

How To Care For Buddleja Adonis Blue
Butterfly bush is very easy to grow and care for. It prefers a sunny to partially sunny spot in a sheltered or exposed location. It grows in both acidic to alkaline soil and is recommended for chalky gardens.
Buddleja Davidii Adonis Blue grows best when it’s hard pruned down to a foot in height during March. This ensures it doesn’t become leggy and encourages the best flower display. After hard pruning, feed and mulch it with a well-rotted layer of organic matter. Deadhead the spent flower panicles when they are brown to encourage more blooms
Container-grown buddleja need regular water and food in the growing months. Be sure to prop the container on feet to ensure good drainage.