Buddleja davidii Royal Red - Butterfly Bush
Buddleja davidii Royal Red - Butterfly Bush
Buddleja davidii Royal Red - Butterfly Bush
Buddleja davidii Royal Red - Butterfly Bush
Buddleja davidii Royal Red - Butterfly Bush
Buddleja davidii Royal Red - Butterfly Bush
Buddleja x davidii Royal Red
Butterfly Bush, Summer Lilac
A shame, but it didn't survive the summer heat – all the others did, though. Thank you.
Christian , 23/09/2025
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This plant carries a 24 months recovery warranty
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Description
Buddleja davidii 'Royal Red' may be the reddest of all butterfly bushes. Its long inflorescences of sumptuous reddish-purple exude a fragrance that matches their colour: rich and intense, visibly addictive to many butterflies. This flowering enlivens the entire summer, with a vigorous bush displaying a superb spreading habit and beautiful dark green foliage tinged with light green-grey felt. It is easy to grow in ordinary, even poor and occasionally dry soil. Buddlejas, majestic in the background, are often the focal points of large shrub beds and flowering hedges, and rightly so.
Buddleja davidii 'Royal Red' is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family. This superb American cultivar, obtained in 1942, is derived, among others, from the David's buddleja, also known as Father David's buddleja or the Changing Buddleja, a robust Chinese species that has become invasive in our climates. 'Royal Red', always considered the best in the 'red' category, received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1950.
The bush has an open and gracefully spreading habit, supported by arching branches, reaching an average height of 3.5 m (11.5 ft) tall and 4 m (13.1 ft) wide in 7 or 8 years, depending on the growing conditions. It blooms from July to September to produce an abundance of dense 25 cm to 35 cm (9.8 in to 13.8 in) long flower panicles. These flowers are purple-violet with reddish-orange eyes and release a sweet fragrance, highly attractive to pollinating insects. The ornamental foliage of this Butterfly Bush consists of long, dark green leaves, with a lighter grey fuzz on the undersides. The leaves, 15 cm to 25 cm (5.9 in to 9.8 in) long, are pointed and lanceolate. This very hardy bush is resistant to urban pollution, and does not suffer from occasional drought in deep soil.
Whether planted individually or in groups, in a hedge, at the corner of a terrace, or at the back of a perennial bed, Buddleja davidii 'Royal Red' will enhance the garden in a unique way. Its almost red inflorescences fluttering with a constant flight of butterflies are a spectacle in themselves. They also highlight the blue flowers of Ceanothus × delileanus 'Gloire de Versailles', for example, or the mauve and white panicles of certain summer lilacs. You can also plant it in a free hedge, with botanical roses, serviceberries, hawthorns, ornamental apple trees, or other cherry trees. It adapts well to coastal areas and can be grown in containers on a terrace. Its fragrant flowers are also very attractive in bouquets. You can also combine this Butterfly Bush with tall grasses (Miscanthus, Panicum, Deschampsia), for an elegant contrast.
Buddleja davidii Royal Red - Butterfly Bush in pictures
Plant habit
Flowering
Foliage
Botanical data
Buddleja
x davidii
Royal Red
Buddlejaceae
Butterfly Bush, Summer Lilac
Cultivar or hybrid
Planting and care
Buddleja davidii 'Royal Red' is easy to grow, as it is a low-maintenance plant that adapts to a wide range of soils and climates. It enjoys sunny locations, but also flowers in partial shade. Plant it in spring or early autumn, in ordinary soil, even limestone and poor soil, but well-worked and well-drained. Once well-established, the plant will tolerate periods of moderate drought, especially if planted in deep soil. David's buddleja has no significant enemies. However, be careful of caterpillars, weevils, bugs, and red spider mites that can invade it. Pruning vigorously after flowering and/or in early spring maintains the bush's habit and compactness and encourages the young plant to produce numerous flowers.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.
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