Buddleja japonica CU03-183

‘Japanese Butterfly Bush’

[Ex. Kesamaruyama, Seta - gun, Gunma Pref., Honshu, Japan]

A deciduous shrub to 1.5m in height in the wild, open in habit and sparsely branched. The branches are winged. The leaves are narrowly lanceolate, 20 cm long by 5 cm wide, the upper surface dark green and glabrous, the underside tawny felted. The flowers form dense, drooping terminal panicles 10cm long, usually pale lilac in colour, from July to October. Native of Japan found growing naturally on sunny stony slopes at elevations of 600-1600m.

Considered of little horticultural merit and is also comparatively short-lived, if not dead headed. For this reason, it is very rare in cultivation, but it has its charm, and the bees and butterfly’s love it. If not dead headed they are said to burn themselves out producing seeds.

Needs a sunny warm position, also said not to be completely hardy best grown, so best provide some degree of protection in the winter.

Sow from March to June. Surface sow small seeds thinly, press in gently and keep top of pot moist. Keep pot warm at 15 to 20°C until germination.

HARVESTED: 2025
 
APPROX. 100+ SEEDS