Description
Buddleja stachyoides | Argentine Butterfly Bush
Argentine Butterfly Bush is a perennial flowering shrub and one of the most widespread members of the Buddleja genus in South America where it’s endemic to woodland edges, roadsides and riversides in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It was first introduced to Europe as Buddleja australis in 1822, when the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh grew it from seed received from a Russian source. The plant was then described and renamed Buddleja stachyoides.
This rare 4-6′ tall plant is drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and adored by hummingbirds. The 1+ ft long terminal spikes of bright orange flowers open from the bottom to top, sometimes nearly year-round in mild climates (zones 9+). Here in zone 8 it will continue to produce flowers into November and December if there are no hard freezes. It will die back at 25 degrees F, and is root hardy to at least 18 degrees F. Great for sun rooms since it can flower all winter.
This is one of the parents of the modern Buddleja hybrid, ‘Orange Sceptre’. The resemblance is apparent.
These seeds were collected from a row of open-pollinated (selfed) B. stachyoides plants. They have been fully tested and every seed grows out to look exactly like the parent(s) with a slight variation in orange flower color. Seeds are easy to germinate with heat, humidity, and light. Do not cover tiny seeds with soil. Seedlings start out extremely tiny, so the most delicate of care must be taken for the first few weeks.
We are one of the only seed shops on Earth to offer these seeds.
Type: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Mature height: 4-6 ft
Mature width: 4-6 ft
Hardiness zones: 9-11
