Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii 'Niche's Choice')
Buddleja davidii 'Niche's Choice' is a low-maintenance, intensely fragrant Butterfly bush blooming purple from June to September.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
The Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’ is a celebrated deciduous shrub, widely known as the Butterfly bush, prized for its extended seasonal performance and intense attraction for pollinators. This specific cultivar develops an attractive arching, spreading habit, offering significant visual impact from mid-summer until the first frost. Gardeners favor this variety for its reliable purple flower spikes and relatively low care requirements once established.
Native to China, this species has proven exceptionally vigorous, making it a powerhouse in mid-border plantings or cottage garden designs. While strongly attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds, prospective growers should note its potential to self-seed. Proper management, including timely pruning and deadheading, ensures that the Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’ remains a high-performing, beautiful garden fixture rather than an aggressive spreader.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Scrophulariaceae
- Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 5-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 4-5 ft
- Spread: 3-4 ft
- Bloom Time: June to September
- Bloom Description: Purple
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Planting the Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’ is best accomplished when the danger of hard frost has passed, allowing the roots time to establish before winter stress. It thrives best in sunny locations, requiring full sun to prevent it from becoming weedy or sparse and diminishing flower production. While it prefers average, medium moisture, well-drained soils, this cultivar demonstrates flexibility; it will successfully adapt to clay soil if the area is amended to improve drainage, as it does not tolerate consistently wet or poorly draining conditions.
Routine care focuses on maximizing bloom and managing size. Water moderately throughout the first growing season to establish a robust root system. For optimal shape and superior flowering, prune Butterfly bush hard (cut close to the ground) in late winter, especially in colder zones like USDA 5 and 6 where it might die back naturally. Promptly remove spent flower spikes throughout the summer to encourage repeat blooming until frost arrives.
If you are concerned about the vigorous spread of this Butterfly bush, diligently remove all spent flower clusters before they mature into seed capsules. In milder climates where the plant does not die back in winter, controlling self-seeding is crucial to prevent naturalization in unwanted areas. Annual hard pruning helps maintain a dense, attractive form for your Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’.
Landscape Uses
Few shrubs provide the sheer volume of summer color achieved by the Butterfly bush. Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’ is perfectly positioned in borders, cottage gardens, and specialized butterfly gardens where its nectar-rich blooms can attract maximum wildlife activity. Though it is noted for producing popular fresh cut flowers, it generally performs better massed or integrated within a mixed planting rather than used as a solitary specimen plant. Consider placing it toward the middle or back of the border, allowing its arching branches to soften the edges of the garden design.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
- Fragrant
Noteworthy Characteristics
Buddleja davidii, commonly called butterfly bush, is a deciduous shrub noted for its vigorous growth, bushy habit, and stunning, fragrant flowers highly attractive to butterflies and bees. This cultivar, ‘Niche’s Choice’, features spike-like 4-10” long terminal clusters of purple flowers blooming abundantly from June through September. Its foliage is described as willowy gray-green, providing a subtle backdrop to the prolific summer color display.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Clay Soil
Potential Problems
The Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’ generally demonstrates good resistance to serious insect or disease issues. Gardeners should remain vigilant for potential outbreaks of spider mites, especially during hot, dry periods, ensuring adequate moisture prevents stress. Nematodes can occasionally prove troublesome, particularly in the warmer regions of the South. Proactive cultural care, such as deep, regular watering during drought and avoiding overly wet soil, helps keep this Butterfly bush exceptionally healthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Butterfly bush suitable for?
This particular cultivar, Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’, is suitable for USDA Zones 5 through 9.
How large does Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’ grow?
When left unpruned, it typically reaches 6-8 feet tall, but under normal pruning regimens, expect a manageable height of 4 to 5 feet with a spread of 3 to 4 feet.
What sun exposure does Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’ need?
For the best flowering performance and strongest structure, this shrub absolutely requires full sun exposure throughout the growing season.
When does Butterfly bush bloom?
The extended bloom period for this plant runs from June straight through September, often extending slightly until the first hard frost arrives.
Conclusion
The Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’ offers gardeners a high-impact, low-effort source of late-season color, perfectly fulfilling its reputation as a premier pollinator plant. Its fragrant purple blooms and adaptable nature, even tolerating clay soil, make this Butterfly bush a staple for summer gardens. Before planting, always confirm that your location falls within USDA Zones 5-9 and ensure it receives ample sunlight for the best results.
Companion Planting
When designing a bed around your Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’, aim for plants that fill in the gaps before and after its peak bloom, or provide contrasting foliage texture. Consider using early-season bloomers like Peonies or Lilies that will fade as the coneflower season begins in summer. Later in the season, planting Asters or Sedum nearby maintains visual interest once the Butterfly bush finishes flowering, while keeping water needs consistent (medium moisture) ensures all companions thrive together.
Wildlife Benefits
The primary ecological contribution of the Butterfly bush is its unparalleled ability to support late-season pollinators. The fragrant, nectar-rich purple flowers are irresistible magnets for various butterfly species, providing essential fuel for migration and reproduction. Additionally, the dense, bushy habit offers good cover for small beneficial insects and provides structure in the garden. Planting the Buddleja davidii ‘Niche’s Choice’ is an easy way to actively contribute to local pollinator health when many other shrubs have ceased flowering.
