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James H. Schutte
Loganiaceae
BUDDLEJA davidii 'Potter's Purple'
Orange-eye Butterflybush, Potter's Purple Butterflybush
Grown for its elongated clusters of deep violet-purple flowers, the medium-sized butterflybush ‘Potter's Purple’ is a tough shrub that develops arching branches and a vase-shaped habit when mature. It was introduced in 1984 by Jack Potter of Wister Garden in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.
Asian in origin, it has dark grey-green leaves and produces clusters of numerous tiny tubular deep violet-purple flowers with orange eyes. These are not very fragrant and appear at the ends of the branches. They will continue to bloom with greater regularity if spent flowers are removed. In climates with mild winters plants may be semi-evergreen.
Butterflybush grows best in full sun and can tolerate a wide range of well-drained soils. Once established, it is quite drought tolerant and requires little maintenance aside from regular pruning. Severe hard pruning each year will keep overall size more compact.
This is the best shrub for attracting clouds of butterflies. The only setback to planting any Buddleja davidii is its tendency to self-sow in the garden and beyond. In fact, in many regions this is considered an invasive species.
Enjoy butterflybush in sunny mixed borders and foundation plantings. It is not wise to plant these shrubs near open natural areas where they can easily escape into the wild.
9 - 2
5 - 9
H1, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Shrub
Full Sun, Partial Sun
6'-7' / 1.8m - 2.1m
4'-6' / 1.2m - 1.8m
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
China, Japan
Acidic, Neutral
Well Drained
Loam, Sand
Pollution, Drought, Salt, Soil Compaction
Fast
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Clump-Forming
Spring, Summer, Fall
Showy
Purple, Violet
Brown
Gray Green, Dark Green
Gray Green, Dark Green, Yellow Green
Green, Brown, Sandy Brown, Gray
No
Single
Yes
Medium
Matte
Semi-Evergreen
Exfoliating
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Sometimes
Butterflies
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