Buddleja davidii Psychedelic Sky - Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii 'Psychedelic Sky' is an attractive selection with large panicles measuring 15 to 25 cm (6 to 9 in) in length with intensely violet flowers. The flowers are fragrant and attract bees and butterflies. This flowering period extends from June to September if care is taken to remove faded flowers to promote reblooming. It is a hardy bush with an erect ball-shaped habit, particularly neat and with fairly limited growth for the species. It is an easy plant to grow that thrives in full sun and all types of well-drained soil. The butterfly bush also tolerates temporary drought, sea spray, and limestone. The abundant summer flowering of this cultivar deserves a place at the back of your flower beds, isolated in a small garden, or as a free hedge around vegetable and fruit crops to attract pollinators in large numbers.

Buddleja davidii 'Psychedelic Sky' is a selection by Michael Dirr of Plant Introductions Inc., distinguished by its long intense violet panicles and much tidier habit. It is a medium-sized variety with an erect ball-shaped habit and upright branches. Belonging to the Scrophulariaceae (buddlejaceae) family, this bush is derived from Buddleja davidii, also known as Father David's buddleja or Changing Buddleja, a robust Chinese species.

'Psychedelic Sky' will reach its maximum adult size of 1.8 m (6 ft) tall and 1.5 m (5 ft) wide in 3 or 4 years. It produces numerous erect, well-branched branches with grey-green leaves with a whitish underside. The leaves, 12 to 20 cm (5 to 8 in) long, are pointed and lanceolate in shape. This deciduous foliage is absent in winter, except in mild climates. This variety blooms abundantly from June to September. The flower panicles are about 20 cm (8 in) long carried by straight and vigorous branches. These flowers are intensely violet with a small orange eye and release a sweet fragrance reminiscent of honey, highly sought after by pollinating insects. The flowers contain substances collected by pollinating insects that will transform them into honey. This hardy bush is resistant to urban pollution and does not suffer from occasional drought when planted in deep soil. When grown in a container, it will require frequent watering and regular fertiliser application.

Whether planted individually or in groups, at the corner of the house, on a dry slope, or in a flower border, Buddleja davidii 'Psychedelic Sky' will bring the garden to life throughout the summer and into early autumn. Its long and intense violet summer flowering complements other shrubs and perennials in a mass planting with dark pink and white flowers (phlox, echinaceas), and with grey and silver foliage of artemisias. It also pairs well with yellow blooms and golden foliage as seen in liatris, St. John's wort, and choisya. This moderately growing variety is also suitable for container gardening in smaller gardens but is even better suited as a free hedge with weigelas or to add a more relaxed structure to a strict and colourless corner of the garden. It adapts well to coastal areas and thrives in any good, well-drained garden soil. Its pleasantly fragrant flowers are also beautiful in bouquets.