Buddleja auriculata
Encyclopedia
Buddleja auriculata is an evergreen
winter-flowering shrub
native to South Africa
and introduced to western cultivation in 1923 .
In the UK the shrub is popular as a source of nectar for late Red Admiral butterflies still on the wing in December .
. The leaves are narrow, lanceolate
and dark green, contrasting strongly with the flowers .
held by the Longstock Park Nursery, near Stockbridge
, England
, although the largest specimen there was killed during the winter of 2010 - 11, when temperatures fell to -12°C.
The shrub can be pruned lightly to maintain shape each year in spring after flowering. Propagation from cuttings can be difficult.
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/plantfinder2.asp?crit=buddleja&Genus=Buddleja.
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
winter-flowering shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
native to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and introduced to western cultivation in 1923 .
In the UK the shrub is popular as a source of nectar for late Red Admiral butterflies still on the wing in December .
Description
B. auriculata makes a large shrub < 6 m in height bearing small, loose off-white panicles, the corollas with yellow throats, and exuding a scent once compared with Chanel No. 5Chanel No. 5
Chanel No. 5 is the first perfume launched by Parisian couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. The French government reports that a bottle of Chanel No. 5 is sold every thirty seconds and generates sales of $100 million a year. It was developed by Russian-French chemist and perfumer Ernest Beaux...
. The leaves are narrow, lanceolate
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
and dark green, contrasting strongly with the flowers .
Cultivation
B. auriculata is not hardy in the UK below ca. - 10° C, and is best grown against a south-facing wall. The shrub features in the NCCPG National Collection of BuddlejaBuddleja
Buddleja, often misspelled Buddleia but commonly known as the Butterfly Bush, is a genus of flowering plants. The generic name bestowed by Linnaeus honours the Reverend Adam Buddle , a botanist and rector in Essex, England, but who could never have seen a plant of the genus.-Classification:The...
held by the Longstock Park Nursery, near Stockbridge
Stockbridge, Hampshire
Stockbridge is a small town and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It has an acreage of and a population of little under 600 people according to the 2001 census in Hampshire, England. It lies on the River Test, in the Test Valley district and renowned for trout fishing. The A30 road goes through...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, although the largest specimen there was killed during the winter of 2010 - 11, when temperatures fell to -12°C.
The shrub can be pruned lightly to maintain shape each year in spring after flowering. Propagation from cuttings can be difficult.
Suppliers
UK nurseries stocking the plant can be found in the RHS Plantfinderhttp://apps.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/plantfinder2.asp?crit=buddleja&Genus=Buddleja.