Buddleja davidii Butterfly Candy Little Lila - Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii Butterfly Candy® Little Lila ('Botex004') is a variety of butterfly bush characterised by its dwarf and compact habit and its long attractive flowering throughout the summer, accompanied by a sweet and light fragrance. With its elegant and balanced silhouette, this variety is well suited to gardens with limited space, as well as container gardening on balconies or terraces. From summer to autumn, this dwarf buddleja is covered in mauve conical flower spikes above green-grey-silver foliage. The flowers are popular with butterflies and bees. Hardy, easy to grow, and undemanding, it is a beautiful choice for the garden. Ideal for biodiversity, Little Lila adds to the Butterfly Candy series, which includes five other colours: Ruby, Purple, Pink, Sweetheart, and White.

The Buddleja genus includes around a hundred species of deciduous or evergreen bushes, native to China, Africa, South Asia, and South America. They are named after Adam Buddle, a famous English botanist from the 17th century. This genus is sometimes spelled as 'Buddleia', but the official spelling seems to be 'Buddleja'.

Belonging to the Scrophulariaceae (Buddlejaceae) family, Little Lila is a recently selected hybrid in the Netherlands by Botanic Experience BV and Dutch breeder Van Son & Koot from Kaatsheuvel. In 2021, it received the prestigious Bronze Award KVBC Summer Challenge 2021 from the Royal Society for Cultivation, Boskoop.

Little Lila is a small plant with a rounded habit, not exceeding 80 cm (32 in). This variety has very branching growth, with short upright branches, giving it a balanced stature. The deciduous foliage falls in winter and regrows in spring. It consists of lanceolate opposite leaves measuring about 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in) long and 2 to 3 cm (1 in) wide, slightly hairy, and green-grey-silver in colour. Flowering occurs over 4 to 5 months, from June-July to October, depending on the region. It consists of small mauve tubular flowers, gathered in long conical panicles at the ends of the branches, measuring 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) long. The flowers release a sweet scent reminiscent of honey, which is highly sought after by pollinating insects and butterflies. In the summer, after each wave of flowers, light pruning encourages the buddleja to develop new flowering shoots. This hardy bush tolerates urban pollution very well and does not suffer from occasional drought. When grown in pots, it will require regular watering and some fertiliser to support its growth and flowering.

There is a great diversity of varieties in the Buddleja and butterfly bush category, with each as unique as the other. However, Little Lila stands out for its striking habit and the intensity of its delicately scented flowering. Thanks to its compact habit, this dwarf buddleja is perfect for pots to enhance terraces and balconies in combination with other shrubs for pots. The silver-green foliage of this bush contrasts well with its intense and elegant flowering, making it easy to combine with colourful perennials (Asters, Delphiniums, Echinaceas, Hemerocallis, Kniphofias, etc.), rose bushes for borders, medium-sized grasses, or flowering shrubs (Abelias, Caryopteris, Lavenders, Potentillas, Spireas, etc.). Whether near a terrace, along a pathway, on top of a wall, or in a hedge, it will bring the garden to life from summer to autumn.