Buddleja davidii
Encyclopedia
Buddleja davidii also called summer lilac, butterfly-bush, or orange eye, is a native of Sichuan
and Hubei
provinces in central China
and of Japan
. It is widely used as an ornamental plant
, and many named varieties are in cultivation. B. davidii, named for the French explorer in China, Father Armand David
, who first noticed the shrub, was found near Ichang by Dr Augustine Henry
about 1887 and sent to St Petersburg. Another botanist-missionary in China, Jean André Soulié, provided seed to the French firm of nurserymen, Vilmorin
, and B. davidii came on the Western market in the 1890s.
. The opposite lanceolate
leaves are 7 - 13 cm long, tomentose
beneath when young. The honey-scented lilac to purple inflorescence
s are terminal panicle
s, < 20 cm long.
and southern Europe
, where it can spread on wastelands and in gardens. It can be invasive in many countries, including the United Kingdom
and New Zealand
. Within the United States
, it is widely established as an escape from cultivation, and classified as a noxious weed by the states of Oregon
and Washington.
This species is not able to survive the harsh winters of northern continental climates, being killed by temperatures below about -15°C to -20°C. Even where it is not killed to the ground, in gardens it is generally partly stooled, with older shoots cut to the ground, as younger wood is more floriferous.
Buddleja davidii is appreciated in butterfly gardens
for its value of its flowers as a nectar source for many species of butterflies.
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
and Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
provinces in central China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is widely used as an ornamental plant
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
, and many named varieties are in cultivation. B. davidii, named for the French explorer in China, Father Armand David
Armand David
Father Armand David was a Lazarist missionary Catholic priest as well as a zoologist and a botanist.-General Biography:...
, who first noticed the shrub, was found near Ichang by Dr Augustine Henry
Augustine Henry
Augustine Henry was an Irish plantsman and sinologist. He is best known for sending over 15,000 dry specimens and seeds and 500 plant samples to Kew Gardens in the United Kingdom. By 1930, he was a recognised authority and was honoured with society membership in Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Finland,...
about 1887 and sent to St Petersburg. Another botanist-missionary in China, Jean André Soulié, provided seed to the French firm of nurserymen, Vilmorin
Vilmorin
Vilmorin is a French seed producer. Along with its international subsidiaries, the company considers itself to be the fourth largest seed company in the world...
, and B. davidii came on the Western market in the 1890s.
Description
B. davidii is a vigorous monoecious shrub with an arching habit, growing to 5 m in height. The pale brown bark becomes deeply fissured with age. The branches are quadrangular in section, the younger shoots covered in a dense indumentumIndumentum
The indumentum is a covering of fine hairs or bristles on a plant or insect.In plants, the indumentum types are:*pubescent*hirsute*pilose*villous*tomentose*stellate*scabrous*scurfy...
. The opposite 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...
leaves are 7 - 13 cm long, tomentose
Tomentose
Tomentose is a term used to describe plant hairs that are flattened and matted, forming a woolly coating known as tomentum. Often the hairs are silver or gray-colored...
beneath when young. The honey-scented lilac to purple inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are terminal panicle
Panicle
A panicle is a compound raceme, a loose, much-branched indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers attached along the secondary branches; in other words, a branched cluster of flowers in which the branches are racemes....
s, < 20 cm long.
Cultivation
Buddleja davidii is naturalized in most cities of centralCentral Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
and southern Europe
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
, where it can spread on wastelands and in gardens. It can be invasive in many countries, including the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Within the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, it is widely established as an escape from cultivation, and classified as a noxious weed by the states of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and Washington.
This species is not able to survive the harsh winters of northern continental climates, being killed by temperatures below about -15°C to -20°C. Even where it is not killed to the ground, in gardens it is generally partly stooled, with older shoots cut to the ground, as younger wood is more floriferous.
Buddleja davidii is appreciated in butterfly gardens
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden is a life simulation game by independent developer Autonomous Productions, revolving around the raising and collecting of butterflies. Initially for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade, the developers have promised there will be a PC version and WiiWare version...
for its value of its flowers as a nectar source for many species of butterflies.