Description
Buddleja sessiliflora | Rio Grande Butterfly Bush
The Rio Grande Butterfly Bush, also known as Hierba del Tepozan, is a perennial semi-evergeen shrub native to the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Arizona, Southern Texas, and central and northern Mexico, including the tropical deciduous forests of Sonora, Mexico where they are found abundantly at riparian locations, in moist soils near springs, and along stream beds or where water collects. It was first collected in the US in southern Arizona in 1883.
In the most southern areas, it can grow as a small tree up to 15 ft in height. In the northernmost part of its range – it grows as an herbaceous arching shrub, typically reaching 5 ft tall and wide. Its foliage is fully covered in fine hairs that give the shrub an overall light green silvery hue. Spring through summer, hundreds of marble-sized clusters of small pale-yellow, nearly green flowers bloom at each leaf axil, sparkling beautifully in the sunlight,.The blooms emit an acridly sweet scent like carrion or stale urine, arm pit odor, or an odd mixture of vinegar and chocolate, which changes throughout the day. On large plants, the aroma can smell so strong that it almost makes you dizzy. As bad as that might sound, many folks find it to be quite pleasant as do the pollinators. The strong scent and sweet nectar attracts flies, bees, butterflies, ants, and other more unusual pollinators.
Buddleja sessiliflora easily adapts to residential landscapes or butterfly and nectar gardens, growing best in full sun to part shade in well-draining soil. Plants benefit from a weekly watering schedule during the hot summer months. Hardy to around 18 F.
Seeds germinate with heat, humidity, and light. Do not cover tiny seeds with soil.
Type: Perennial
Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
Mature height: 5+ ft
Mature width: 4-5 ft
Hardiness zones:Â 9-11
UNROOTED CUTTINGS:
- Price is for five cuttings (5)
- Each cutting is 4-9 inches long. May be single top or multi-top.
- Guaranteed to be green, healthy, and alive. Plus pest and pathogen free.
- Guaranteed to be true-to-name.
- Packages are shipped out on Mondays and Tuesdays ONLY.
- If it’s believed the plants are not alive and healthy when you receive them you must let us know any concerns you have within 24 hours of arrival. If we do not hear any concerns within 24 hours it will be assumed that everything arrived in good standing. We cannot be held responsible for mishaps, errors, mistakes, or bad luck after this time frame.
ROOTING INSTRUCTIONS:
How to prepare cuttings to root via rooting cubes inside a humidity dome.
- Upon arrival, give cuttings a new fresh cut on the bottom of the stem. Then set in a cup of water for a minimum of 15 minutes.
- After soaking, gently cut or scrape small marks into the bottom portion of the plant stem (½ inch) with scissors or a razor blade.
- Dip the scarred end of the stem into rooting gel or rooting powder (gel is superior). This can be done without rooting gel, but results are not as good.
- Insert the plant stem into a rooting cube (Oasis cubes, grow plugs, soil-cubes, rock-wool cubes, etc) and place into a nursery tray with a humidity dome over the top. One cutting per cube. Custom individual humidity domes can be made using plastic cups and/or plastic cling wrap.
- After the first 3-5 days, the humidity dome should be opened up or set ajar to slowly allow more air in as the plants start to root. At this point, the cubes should be allowed to become mostly dry before adding any more water.
- Once 2-3 roots grow out of the bottom of the root-cube, the plant can be transplanted into soil.
- More detailed rooting instructions will accompany your order.
