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Expertly Grown in the UK
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Happy, Healthy Plants Guaranteed
Expertly Grown in the UK
Carefully Hand Delivered

Buddleja davidii 'Empire Blue' | Butterfly Bush

Grown by John

South Downs National Park

Plant in a 3L Pot

£25

Out of stock

Perfectly happy plants, or your money back

Specialist overnight plant delivery

The highlights

  • Scented, violet-blue flowers on arching branches
  • Turn your garden into a bee and butterfly haven
  • Grows to 4m x 3m
  • RHS Perfect for Pollinators

Description

  • A large, fast-growing deciduous flowering shrub
  • Arching branches of lance-shaped leaves bear long panicles of violet-blue flowers with a honey scent
  • Thrives in sunny flower beds and cottage garden borders
  • Grows to between 2.5-4m tall and wide, within 5-10 years
  • A fully hardy, long-lived shrub with excellent pest resistance and drought tolerance
  • Awarded the RHS's Plants for Pollinators designation for its benefits to bees and butterflies

What To Expect

Supplied as:

Established Plant in 3L Pot
Our shrubs are grown into large 3L pots to create a well developed root system and strong plant

Height on arrival:

Eventual height:

Time to first crop:

Flower colour:

Blue
Violet blue flowers clustered in long panicles

Habit:

Bushy
Buddleja has several shoots rather than a single stem, often arising from a central point but sometimes also from elsewhere. It has arching stems of small-leaved foliage with long flower panicles.

Hardiness:

Fully hardy
H6 - hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15). Needs no winter protection.

Rootstock:

Spacing:

2m
Space 2m apart if planting single bushes, or closer together for a hedge.

How To Grow

Good pest and disease resistance

Usually disease free, Buddleja may be affected by capsid bugs or caterpillars. capsid bugs. Check your plants regularly and pick any bugs off by hand, the spray the infected area with some soapy water. Encouraging birds and beetles which feed on caterpillars, and ladybirds which feed on capsid bugs will reduce this issue.

Water regularly in summer

This plant needs nothing more than rain water throughout most of the year. During hot, prolonged dry periods in summer however, you may have to give the plant a good watering several times a week. This will increase the nectar content and attract more butterflies. If the plant starts to look distressed and the soil around it is very dry, then give the plant some more water and check up on it the next day.

Full sun to partial shade

Buddleja does best in a sunny, sheltered spot but will be fine with a little light shade, especially in the afternoons.

Any average well-drained soil

Plant in any well-drained soil. If your soil is particularly poor or clay heavy, add some garden compost with perlite to improve drainage.

Feeding not required

On a fertile soil, no feeding is required. An annual mulch of organic matter such as well-rotted manure or garden compost can be useful. For Buddleja in pots, add some slow-release fertiliser annually to keep them flowering or use a liquid feed between April and September. ?v=1613300718

Planting Calendar

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South Downs National Park

Meet John

110 years' expertise free with every plant

Straight from the capable hands of our shrub specialist John to your garden, you can be sure that each bush, hedge and plant is grown to last. Nurtured in the fields of the South Downs and professionally pruned for the best shape, these hardy feature plants will be adding structure, colour and variety to your garden for many years to come.

What customers say about us

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Growing with Roots

Good to know

Our plants are grown 
in the UK

Specialist UK growers we know and trust grow your plants the traditional way, with organic fertiliser and biological pest control. They pick only the healthiest plants for you, professionally pruning them so that they’ll grow strong and well shaped.

Our plants are delivered overnight

Your plants are sent to you fresh from the field in our plastic free box that’s specially designed to hold them tight, then securely delivered by specialist plant couriers - straight from the grower to your garden within 
24 hours.

We're here to help at every step

We want your plants to have a long and healthy life. Expect easy-to-follow grow guides and videos devised by our team 
of experts.

Perfect plants, guaranteed

We’re confident that you’ll be delighted 
with your new plants. Need help? Alice and her team are here to guarantee you’re 
perfectly happy.

Digging deep to answer your questions

How do I know I'm getting quality plants?

All of our plants are grown in specialist nurseries with the highest standards of plant care and sustainability. We guarantee you'll love them as much as we do! Don't just take our word for it - we've got thousands of great reviews on Trustpilot.

When will I get my plants?

The delivery timescale for each plant is on the web page (near the 'add to basket's button). You'll receive a dispatch email with an exact delivery date once your plants are on their way, so you can get the garden ready.

How will my plants be packed and delivered?

We send all of our orders through a courier network designed to handle plants. Specialist equipment ensures that no plants will be damaged during the packing process and every order is carefully finished and checked by plant-loving humans. Your plants will arrive in the most sustainable packaging possible with minimal to no plastic used.

Where do you deliver?

We deliver to anywhere in Mainland UK for our standard delivery cost. We are able to deliver most plants to Highlands and non UK mainland however this will be at an additional cost. This will be calculated at the checkout. Please note, deliveries to these locations will take longer. Unfortunately, we are not able to deliver to Northern Ireland at present.

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