Native to Chile, the Butterfly Bush (Buddleia globosa) ~ bearing clusters of lavender, white, soft pink, yellow, purple, or cranberry cone-shaped flowers ~ is sure to bring hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies to your garden.
Also called summer lilac, Buddleia (pronounced BUD-lee-ah), a genus of over 100 species and cultivars, grows ~ with liberal sunshine and well-drained soil ~ into a medium to large-sized shrub featuring silvery green, gracefully arching limbs.
When I first smelled its sweet-scented blossoms, I thought: Perfect for perfumes! Sure enough, Guerlain’s Parfum de Champs-Elysees (touted to evoke “a spring day in Paris”) contains ~ along with hints of rose and mimosa ~ essence of the Buddleia flower.
Mature buddleia in Wharfedale near Howgill, England. Photo courtesy of Robbo-Man, Creative Commons.
Many Buddleia species we see in European and North American gardens come from parts of China and Sikkim. And to think that still today horticulturists are searching the Himalayan foothills for new varieties.
This week’s image ~ above right ~ Young Butterfly Bush and Blossom.
Thumbnail image ~ Buddleia (close-up), artistic rendition.
Sikkim is a small Indian state bordering Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan.
