Buddleja Davidii Wisteria Lane Butterfly Bush

Buddleja Wisteria Lane or Butterfly Bush Wisteria Lane is an unusual deciduous buddleja with lilac wisteria-type flowers. It’s a ‘conversation piece’ shrub that flowers from July to October and requires no more maintenance than a standard buddleja.

Buddleja Davidii is native to Japan and central China. It was named after the botanist explorers Reverend Adam Buddle and Father Armand David. In 1890 the first buddlejas appeared on the British market and they’re still popular today. Some people call buddleja the butterfly bush because it’s so attractive to pollinators.

The cultivar Butterfly Bush Wisteria Lane was bred by Hans Hansen of Walters Gardens Inc, Michigan USA. It’s noted for its unusual wisteria-like flowerheads that hang down in a weeping fashion rather than upright like standard buddleja. In spring, deep green-grey lance-shaped foliage covers its arching branches. Foliage is joined by its pendulous lilac flowerheads with orange eyes that emerge in mid-summer and bloom until the frosts. It’s blooms are lightly scented and attractive to all types of pollinator.

This is a different style of buddleja that looks good mixed with other buddlejas in an informal mixed border or woodland garden. If you love wisteria, but struggle to grow it, try this easy-care low maintenance buddleja instead.

Height And Spread of Buddleja Wisteria Lane
This is a mid-sized compact buddleja that reaches 1.5 metres in height and spread.

How Hardy is Buddleja Wisteria Lane
Buddjeja Davidii is hardy in the UK if its roots are well drained. It’s more than capable of coping with freezing winters and some drought. It rarely develops disease or pests.

How To Use Buddleja Wisteria Lane
This is an unusual buddleja for mixed informal borders and low-maintenance spaces. It attracts lots of pollinators and will grow in a large well-watered and fed container on a balcony or deck. Buddlejas are tough plants that deal with coastal sprays and front garden pollution. It’s an excellent choice for a well-drained difficult area.

How To Care For Buddleja Wisteria Lane
Butterfly Bush Wisteria Lane is an easy-to-grow shrub. It prefers a sunny to a partially sunny spot in well-drained soil and will cope with poor soils including chalk.
It will tolerate an exposed spot, but more flowers will bloom in shelter.
In early spring, hard prune Buddleja Wisteria Lane to around a foot tall. Buddlejas flower best on new growth and unpruned buddleja davidii can get leggy unless it’s cut back. Wisteria Lane will re-grow several metres in height each summer after a hard prune.  
Water it well until you can see new growth and apply organic mulch to the roots in spring. Container-grown plants will need regular slow-release fertiliser throughout their growing season. Be sure to raise containers on feet for good drainage.