Buddleja davidii High Five Purplev

Buddleia 'High Five Purple' is a new variety of butterfly bush that stands out for its double flowers and very small development. It is a compact and well-shaped bush, proudly displaying a generous summer flowering made up of long clusters of tightly packed small double flowers in a pretty mauve colour with an orange eye. This bush is extremely popular with butterflies that come to feed on its nectar. It is easy to grow in ordinary or even poor and occasionally dry soil, and it does not self-seed, unlike other Buddleia davidii. Its charm will work in gardens of all sizes, in perennial or shrub borders. It will also work wonders in a pot on a terrace.

Buddleia 'High Five Purple' ('podcept1') is a deciduous shrub belonging to the Scrophulariaceae (Buddlejaceae) family. This surprising American cultivar is derived, among others, from Buddleia davidii, also known as Father David's Buddleia or Changing Buddleia, a robust Chinese species that has become invasive in our climates. 'High Five Purple' is a truly dwarf variety and is currently the first double-flowered buddleia on the market.

The bush has a dense habit supported by upright branches. It will reach an average height of 55 cm (22 in) and a width of about the same in 2 or 3 years, depending on growing conditions. It flowers from July to September, producing an abundance of dense panicles of flowers measuring 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) long. These flowers are double, with a fairly light mauve colour and an orange eye, and they release a sweet scent that is very attractive to pollinators. Its ornamental foliage consists of fairly light green leaves with a greyish underside. The leaves, 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) long, are pointed and lanceolate. This very hardy bush is resistant to urban pollution, adapts to poor soils, and does not suffer from occasional drought when planted in deep soil.

Whether planted alone or in groups, in a perennial border, at the corner of a terrace, or in a pot on a balcony, Buddleia 'High Five Purple' will enhance even the humblest setting. Its inflorescences, visited by multicoloured butterflies, are a spectacle in themselves. They also complement the pink or red flowers of repeat-flowering roses, the pink panicles of Spirea billardii, or the corollas of California poppies. It adapts well to coastal areas and urban pollution. Its fragrant flowers are also very attractive in bouquets. You can also plant this buddleia with bright yellow evening primroses and small grasses (Stipa, Carex, Muhlenbergia) for an elegant contrast.