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Buddleia ‘Lo & Behold Blue
Chip’. Photos courtesy of Proven Winners. |
Buddleia ‘Lo &
Behold Blue Chip’
Butterfly Bush
AT A GLANCE
Latin name: Buddleia x hybrid ‘Lo & Behold
Blue Chip’
Common name: Butterfly bush
Flowers: Blue-purple spikes all summer
Mature height: 24”-36”
Hardiness: Perennial Zones 5-9
Soil: Well-drained
Exposure: Full sun
Water usage: Medium
Sources: Local nurseries
Buddleia ‘Lo & Behold Blue Chip’ is the first in a line of dwarf
butterfly bushes introduced by the JC Raulston Arboretum. No longer is
butterfly bush relegated only to the back of the border; now it can take
center stage as a container plant or as a mass planting.
‘Blue Chip’ forms perfect, 24-inch mounds of
foliage that are constantly covered in 3- to 4-inch spikes of
blue-purple flowers from early summer until first hard frost. Unlike
most butterfly bushes, this one doesn’t bloom in waves, but almost
continuously. The flowers are fragrant and are apparently attractive to
both butterflies and hummingbirds, which are always flitting about them.
Like all butterfly bushes, this one prefers full
sun and rich soil. Its dwarf size makes it perfect for container use,
and that is where I like it best. The constant bloom and small size make
the plants perfect for growing by themselves in pots or mixed with
trailing plants. I’ve experienced very few disease or pest problems with
this variety. If grown in light shade, though, it may suffer from spider
mites and powdery mildew.
I do recommend regular fertilization to keep
plants in constant growth and blossom. After the first hard freeze in
winter, you can cut the plants back to 12 inches tall to keep them
compact the next season. Once established, the plants are very drought-
and heat-tolerant.
About the author: Jimmy Turner is
the senior director of gardens at the Dallas Arboretum. Visit
http://www.dallasplanttrials.org/ for more information on his
trials. |
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