Buddleja davidii Butterfly Candy Little Ruby - Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii Butterfly Candy® Little Ruby 'Botex 006' is a variety of small-sized butterfly bush, with a dense habit and a long, gently scented summer flowering period. With its elegant and balanced silhouette, this variety is well suited to gardens with limited space, and for growing in pots on balconies or terraces. From summer to autumn, above a green-grey-silver foliage, this dwarf buddleja is covered in attractive red conical flower spikes that are appealing to butterflies and bees. Hardy, easy to grow, and undemanding, this dwarf butterfly bush is a beautiful addition to the garden. Ideal for biodiversity, Little Ruby enriches the Butterfly Candy series, which includes five other colours: Purple, Pink, Lilac, Sweetheart, and White.

The genus Buddleja includes around a hundred species of deciduous or evergreen shrubs, native to China, Africa, South Asia, and South America. They are named after Adam Buddle, a famous English botanist of the 17th century. This genus is sometimes spelled 'Buddleia', but the official spelling seems to be 'Buddleja'.

Belonging to the Scrophulariaceae (Buddlejaceae) family, Little Ruby is a hybrid, recently selected in the Netherlands by Botanic Experience BV and Dutch breeder Van Son & Koot from Kaatsheuvel. In 2021, it received the prestigious Gold Award KVBC Summer Challenge 2021 from the Royal Society for Cultivation, Boskoop.

Little Ruby is a small plant with a rounded habit, not exceeding 80 cm (32 in). This variety has a highly branched growth, with short upright branches, giving it a balanced stature. The deciduous foliage falls in winter and regrows in spring. It consists of lanceolate, opposite leaves measuring approximately 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in) long and 2 to 3 cm (1 in) wide, slightly hairy, and green-grey-silver in colour. The flowering period spans 4 to 5 months, from June-July to October, depending on the regions. It consists of small dark red tubular flowers, gathered in long conical panicles at the ends of the branches, measuring 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) long. The flowers release a sweet fragrance reminiscent of honey, highly sought after by pollinating insects and butterflies. During the summer, after each wave of flowers, light pruning encourages the buddleja to develop new flowering shoots. This hardy shrub tolerates urban pollution very well and is not affected by occasional drought. It prefers sunny or slightly shaded positions, sheltered from strong winds. It tolerates all types of soils, even poor and chalky ones, and prefers deep, well-drained, slightly enriched soil. Protect it from excess moisture in winter. When grown in pots, it will require regular watering and some fertiliser to support its growth and flowering.

There is a wide diversity of varieties in the buddleja and butterfly bush category. However, Little Ruby stands out for its striking habit and intense flowering with a delicate fragrance. Thanks to its compact habit, it is perfect for containers to enhance terraces and balconies in combination with other shrubs for pots. This shrub, with its green-grey-silver foliage contrasting with its intense and elegant flowering, can be combined with colourful perennials (Asters, Delphiniums, Echinaceas, Daylilies, Kniphofias, etc.), Shrub Roses, Medium-sized Grasses, or flowering shrubs (Abelias, Caryopteris, Lavenders, Potentillas, Spireas, etc.). Plant near a terrace, along a path, above a wall, or in a hedge. It will bring to life a flowering hedge, a flower bed, or a border from summer to autumn.