Buddleja davidii 'Dark Forms' |
Native Region: Asia
Zone Range: 4-9
Preferred Climate: Full to semi sun; well draining average to dryish soils.
Harvest Date: Thursday 20 January, 2011
Seed count: 50-60
Description:
Vigorous hardy shrub to 4 m tall with equal spread. Intensely fragrant and very large flower panicles flower all summer long and its usually the weather that puts a stop to the bloom. Produces lots of nectar even during dry summers for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and many others. Seed is from dark flowering forms including Black Knight.
Notes:
Flowers on new wood so you can be quite heavy handed when it comes to branch pruning (sans undercut). Blooms at a very early age (2nd or 3rd year). A couple of plants can fill the air with its sweet honey-like scent. Can be invasive. Deadhead the spent panicles or prune if you are worried about it 'taking over'. Grows well with Arbutus unedo.
Cultivation:
Very fine seed. Press seed into moist well draining peaty medium. Chill for 4 weeks and keep moist. Needs light to germinate. After chilling, needs warmth and light to germinate. Optimum germination temp: 20-24C. Days to germinate 20-40. Easy to grow.
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