SCIENTIFIC NAME: Buddleja davidii 'Nanho Purple'

COMMON NAME: Nanho Purple Butterfly Bush

GARDEN SIZE: 3 to 5 ft tall x 3 to 5 ft wide (2 to 3 ft tall if cut back)

GROWTH RATE: Moderate to fast

USDA ZONE: 5 to 9

EXPOSURE: Full sun. Becomes leggy and sparse in part sun or shade.

WATER & SOIL: Prefers average to dry, well-drained soil. Tolerates clay if amended well. Avoid consistently wet or poorly drained sites, which can lead to root rot.

HABIT: Arching, spreading

FOLIAGE: Deciduous; Willowy gray-green foliage

FLOWERS: Lavender-purple, fragrant spike-like clusters up to 6" long; bloom from June to September and sometimes to frost; showy.

PLANT ORIGIN: Parts of China and Japan

WILDLIFE SUPPORT: Provides occasional shelter or nesting spots for birds and small mammals. While attractive to butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, its nectar is not as nutritionally beneficial as that of native plants. Buddleia does not serve as a host plant for native butterfly or moth caterpillars, and therefore does not support full pollinator life cycles.

FERTILIZING: Low fertility needs. Overfertilizing can lead to excessive vegetative growth and fewer blooms. Apply a light layer of compost in early spring if desired.

PRUNING: Prune back hard in late winter to early spring—often to 12–18 inches from the ground—to encourage strong new growth and flowering. Deadheading spent blooms encourages rebloom but isn’t strictly necessary.

TOXICITY FLAGS: Not considered toxic to pets or humans. (However, ingestion of large amounts of any non-edible landscape plant may cause stomach upset in pets.)

USES: Accent, Borders, Pollinator Attraction