Failing Buddleja

[SPIKEYHEDGEHOG]

Hi

Forgive me if this has been discussed. I'm a newbie to this web site.

I have a 2 dark purple and 1 white bush.

Both have flowered and the flowers quickly turn brown. I dead head regularly but it doesn't make much difference.

The purple ones have been planted for 2 years [pruned them down as per advice] and the white one was planted in the Spring. Soil is poor due to a lot of builder's rubbish being burried. Predominantly clay. But I thought the grew anywhere! Do they need full sun? All 3 are shadowed a bit.

Are you all going to say "It's the weather"?

I live in Buckinghamshire. There has been a spectacular one up the road and the owner says he doesn't do anything special to it. It is in full sun.....

Great forum.

Thanks.

[ron1863]

It's the weather

I don't know what soil they prefer but I have seen them growing in derelict buildings and wasteland so maybe they prefer a poor soil but they do seem to like a sunny spot.

Oh and welcome to WAB

[Hedge Witch]

Welcome

I would have thought they would be fine in the shade - why not rule out genetic variation and take some cuttings of your neighbour's cultivar - plant in a similar position and see.

Can you post a picture?

[Darley]

My experience tells me they prefer full sun and are not fussy about soil. B. Davidii flowers on new wood, so best to cut them down to about a foot - or less - from the ground, in spring.

[Ida]

Hello, Spikeyhedgehog. Welcome to WAB!

The individual flower spikes on buddleja don't last for that long before they turn brown, so you probably don't have a problem there.

If you want to increase the number of flowers then follow the pruning advice given by Darley, and try cutting half the branches back at the beginning of March and the other half back at the beginning of April - that way you extend the flowering period.