Description
Buddleja macrostachya | Long-spike Butterfly Bush (type 2 form- upright flowers that bloom Autumn – late winter)
Long-spike Butterfly Bush, also known as Long-spiked Butterfly Bush, is a somewhat exotic alternative to the more common Buddleja davidii species, possessing a similar flower appearance, but on a larger and more sturdy frame and that blooms in either autumn or late winter. It’s native to East Himalayas to South Central China and North Indo-China, where it grows as a large woody shrub to a small tree (20 ft) in forest clearings, usually found at altitudes greater than 3,000 ft. Buddleja macrostachya has evolved at altitude, so is suited for temperate mountainous habitats.
This species is highly variable in structure, flower color, hardiness, and bloom period. Our ‘type 2’ form was wild-sourced from China which produces upright plants with huge, deep-green, leathery leaves, squarish, winged branches, and large, pink, violet-mauve, or deep purple upright flowers with bright eyes that bloom in late-summer or autumn, or sometimes in late-winter or early-spring.
Full sun is best, but plants may prefer a little shade in the hottest part of the season. Humus-rich, moisture retentive soil in summer and well-drained soil in the winter is ideal. Sheltering plants from the harshest winds and avoiding planting in frost pockets should ensure the plants make it through winters. Adding a good layer of winter mulch on top of the roots helps protect the soil from freezing solid. Fully root hardy to zone 8 (10 degrees F) while some years it’s not. If plants die to the ground they will shoot up to 8-9 ft by the next year.
Rare in cultivation.
Type: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Mature height: 8-12 ft
Mature width: 4-6 ft
Hardiness zones: 8-11
