Replacement for buddleia bush

[Purplepixii]

I'm pretty sure that my over-zealous pruning last year has killed my buddleia - it's looking incredibly dead with none of the usual signs of life ("branches" appear dry and dead and there are no shoots showing unlike previous years).

As it's not a native british plant, I'm thinking of digging it up and replacing it with something that is native. My problem here though is what would be a suitable replacement?

I've always loved buddleia because of the butterflies and bees that visit, and I would want to replace it with something equally nectar-rich and preferably a shrub/small tree of a similar size to buddleia. Do we Brits have a native plant that would be a suitable replacement?

If it helps, I have a south-facing garden and the current buddleia is on the west-side fence so catches the early morning sun.

Look forward to your suggestions

Purplepixii

[Jez]

Hi PurplePixii,

Quite an attractive shrub to look at are buddleia as well as being a good nectar plant for a host of different butterflies and hummingbird hawkmoths so my suggestion is either buy a replacement and prune in late Feb/early March to avoid frost damage or perhaps wild privet - Ligustrum Vulgare which is good nectar plant for butterflies such as Painted lady, Meadow brown, Comma, Peacock, Gate Keeper, Red Admiral & Speckled wood!

http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Privet042.jpg

Cheers - Jez

[aeshna5]

I don't think over-pruning would have been the cause of the demise of your Buddleja. It is often recommended to prune them hard + I have cut large bushes down to near ground level + they have responded vigorously.

Personally I would always have at least 1 Buddleja in my garden- I currently have 3- Loccinch, Harlequin + an unnamed cultivar.

[artdemole]

hallelulia for the buddleia!Don't think anything can replace it.Grows on the tracks , in the scrub and of course in the garden.All the wildlife would miss it.

[Susie]

If the winter is cold buddleias can die if they are pruned hard in autumn. That being said, they do have a reasonably short lifespan and it is worth taking cuttings (which root very easily) after a few years. When I lived in London I was quite happy to prune in the autumn because it didn't seem to get that cold but now I always leave it until about March.

As for what to replace it with, I think I would have to go with another buddleia; there are so many wonderful varieties to choose from and they pull in such a variety of insects for a long period of time. If pruned straight after the first flush of flowers you can often get a second flush in early autumn with davidiis.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Purplepixii

As it's not a native british plant, I'm thinking of digging it up and replacing it with something that is native. My problem here though is what would be a suitable replacement? I've always loved buddleia because of the butterflies and bees that visit, and I would want to replace it with something equally nectar-rich and preferably a shrub/small tree of a similar size to buddleia. Do we Brits have a native plant that would be a suitable replacement? Purplepixii

There are very few profusely flowered, and (virtually no late flowering) easily garden locatable native shrubs - which is why the Victorians were such avid importers of new species. So the short answer to "is there a native replacement for a buddleia ? " is No.

It all depends what you want. If it's a mid to late summer butterfly and bee attracting shrub that grows over 2metres high, then you are pretty much looking at a non native. In which case just accept that buddleias are short lived and get a new one.

If however you want to combine flower (for insects) with fruit (for birds), then Jez's suggestion of wild privet, or Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulusor) or Wayfaring Tree (Viburnum lantana) would be effective relacements for the buddleia.

CM

[Cowgirl]

'Dark Knight' is my favourite, beautiful v v deep purple flower. I've moved houses several times in the last 20 years, husband was a herdsman & dairy farms are packing up at an alarming rate. I always try & take my buddlea with me but it gets so far then my husband seems to have a subconscious mission to destroy them, usually over zealous with the strimmer, grrrr....

I've been in this house 2 years & my latest one (rescued from a local garden centre for free cos it only had one measely twig & was about to be chucked), touch wood, seems to be going well!

[Susie]

I have one called black knight which is excellent at attracting butterflies. I would imagine it is similar or the same to your dark knight, Cowgirl. If yours doesn't survive you are welcome to a cutting from mine, they take very easily.


As an alternative plant, how about alder buckthorn. It's a food plant of the brimstone butterfly, has reasonably attractive foliage and the tiny flowers are attractive to insects in the summer although not in any great numbers.

[harasseddad]

Native alternatives would be Honeysuckle (white admiral food plant), old man's beard (many moths), blackberry (lots of moths), Ivy (Holly Blue) or Bird Cherry. All are good nector sources and also food plants - buddleia is purely nector. Having said that, it is better at nector than the native species: it lasts longer and produces more. But another good non-native flower is Verbena bonariensis (hope I spelt that right) - just as good for nector, but doesn't take up so much room.

[Susie]

Angleshade moth caterpillars enjoy tucking into my buddleias so its not a total loss for native leps as a food plant.