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Buddleja alternifolia
Common names:
- Fountain Buddleia
Location in the Gardens:
Season of interest:
- A superb species with gracefully arching branches that are wreathed with fragrant, vivid lilac flowers in early summer.
Description of plant:
Buddleja alternifolia is a vigorous large deciduous shrub which can be trained into a small tree, with arching branches bearing narrow, grey-green leaves and sweetly scented lilac-purple flowers, borne in clusters along the previous year's shoots.
Ideal growing conditions and habitat:
Sunny position well drained soil
Country of origin:
- Kansu, China
Highdown history:
The specimen at Highdown was raised by seed collected by Farrer during his expedition with W. Purdom in 1915.
Other interesting information:
Described by Farrer as:
“a gracious, small-leaved, weeping willow when it is not in flower and a sheer waterfall of soft purple when it is”.
This species is quite different from the other Buddlejas that are commonly cultivated; as the name suggests, the narrow silvery leaves are arranged alternately along the branches.
