WHICH SPECIES OF BUDDLEIA IS BEST FOR ATTRACTING BUTTERFLYS AND BEES?
The plant you’re talking about is Buddleja davidii, which has been bred into a wide range of cultivars. All of them are equally good at drawing butterflies with their sweet nectar. These varieties can vary in height or flower color, and some even offer variegated leaves. If you have a smallish garden, be aware that these can grow quite large at maturity unless you select a more dwarf form. While you’re looking for a purple flower, knowing if you want dark royal purple or more of a lavender purple dictates which variety is best. Below are some links to profiles of some of the finest purple buddleja plant profiles which include size and other characteristics. Black Knight is the top purple variety that is most widely available. Though Adonis Blue is less purple in color, it is one of the English Butterfly series of hybrids that offer smaller more manageable plants bred in Britain and readily available there.
