These plants do not require fertilising and in fact, feeding them may encourage them to produce foliage at the expense of flowers. Container-grown plants should be fed yearly, in spring. Planting

Plant buddleia in late spring, once the soil has had a chance to warm up – invest in a soil thermometer!Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out. This problem occurs when the temperature is cool, and the plant’s leaves remain wet for a time. Furry patches of mildew will appear on the undersides of the leaves. The tops of the leaves may also become yellow or brown. Heavily affected stems should be removed and disposed of. Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.

There’s a lot of variety to choose from in buddlejas. However, if you want to keep it simple, choose a Buddleja davidii in a colour you like, as these grow well in most gardens. Then, if you are interested in growing some of the other buddleja available, it helps to bear in mind the following things: Height

Your buddleia should be positioned at the same level in the ground as it was in the pot. Water it well and continue to water regularly until well established unless the weather is wet. Each spring, apply a thin layer of compost, then 2 to 4 inches of mulch to retain moisture and controlweeds. These plants are drought resistant and, once established, will not need watering unless the weather is very dry. In drought conditions, they should be watered thoroughly once a week. They may need more water during the spring, if there is insufficient rainfall, a this is when they are growing the most. Container grown plants will need watering as they dry out. Soil requirements The genus Buddleja is now included in Scrophulariaceae, having earlier been classified under Buddlejaceae ( synonym: Oftiaceae) and Loganiaceae [6] Description [ edit ]