Buddleja davidii Sophie - Butterfly Bush

Buddleia davidii 'Sophie', commonly known as the butterfly bush, is a very compact variety with continuous flowering from April to September, covering the plant with long slender clusters of intense mauve with dark orange eyes. The fragrant flowers attract a large number of pollinators to the garden, making it the ideal companion for vegetable gardens and orchards. It is a deciduous bush with light green foliage that turns silver in autumn and does not exceed 60 cm (23.6 in) in height and 80 cm (31.5 in) in width! Its spherical habit with gracefully drooping branches gives it elegance and charm. Perfectly hardy, it requires well-drained soil and a sunny exposure. This small variety is particularly suitable for container cultivation, where it maintains even smaller dimensions, and for gardens with limited space.

Buddleia davidii 'Sophie' is a recent selection distinguished by its more compact and orderly habit and exceptional floribundity. It is a small variety that forms a sphere with beautifully arching branches. Belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family, this bush is derived from David's Buddleia, also known as Father David's Buddleia or Changing Buddleia, a robust Chinese species.

'Sophie' will reach its adult size of approximately 60 cm (23.6 in) in height and 80 cm (31.5 in) in width in 3 to 4 years. In a pot, its dimensions are even smaller: it does not exceed 60 cm (23.6 in) in all directions. The bush produces numerous branches, adorned with young light green leaves with whitish undersides that turn silvery in autumn. The leaves, 12 cm to 20 cm (4.7 in to 7.9 in) long, are pointed and lanceolate in shape. This deciduous foliage is absent in winter, except in mild climates. This variety flowers from April to September if the branches carrying faded inflorescences are regularly pruned. The flower panicles are abundant, wide, and very dense. These flowers are mauve with small orange eyes and release a sweet scent reminiscent of honey, highly sought after by pollinating insects: they contain substances collected by pollinating insects that will transform them into honey. This very hardy bush is resistant to urban pollution and does not suffer from occasional drought in deep soil. When grown in a container, it will require frequent watering and regular fertilisation.

Whether planted alone or in a group, at the corner of the house, on a drier slope, or in a flower border, Buddleia davidii 'Sophie' will enliven the garden throughout the summer and into early autumn. Its long mauve summer flowering pairs perfectly with other shrubs and perennials in a mass planting with white, blue, mauve flowers, and grey and silvery foliage. This dwarf variety works well in a pot and brings colour to small gardens for a longer part of the year. It adapts well to coastal areas and thrives in any good garden soil. Its pleasantly fragrant flowers are also lovely in bouquets.