Diverse hybrids deriving primarily from Buddleja davdii, notable for their diminutive size and often selected for low seed-set.
Since the introduction of the LO AND BEHOLD® and FLUTTERBY PETITE™ series of extreme dwarf Buddleja, there has been a torrent of new introductions, both developing on from the existing ranges as well as horticultural companies (particularly in the USA) seeking to have a ‘me too’ range to match the competition. Many of these plants are released without sufficient trialling and without consideration for their long-term garden performance.
The cultivars are frequently launched with unsubstantiated hyperbole, often described using such terms as ‘world’s first’, ‘a unique new Buddleja’, or ‘an impressive performer’. In practice, many of these new hybrids often fail to impress outside carefully controlled environments, often being weedy in growth, prone to disease, short-lived and unremarkable in flower in real-world garden situations (pers. obs.). With a history only a little over a decade (as of 2021), cultivars and even whole series are already disappearing from the catalogues – for example the BLOOMING BUTTERFLIES® series, launched c. 2012, has already completely disappeared from cultivation.
Their value, it would seem, is as novel bedding plants best suited to the container or the front of an intensively managed border, where they might last two or three years before they must be removed (pers. obs.). As such these plants are not expected to be long-term contributions to the Buddleja canon – time will tell which are good garden plants and will continue to be propagated, and which will become extinct.
As relatively new introductions, most have yet to enter the literature.
BLOOMING BUTTERFLIES® Cultivars
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-9
From Wayside Gardens (South Carolina, USA), a series of smaller Buddleja hybrids reaching about 1 m in height and spread. Remaining only a year or two in the catalogues and never distributed beyond North America, these plants are no longer propagated, having been superseded by the Pugster®/Rocketstar® plants (Wayside Gardens, pers. comm.)
- ‘Blue Morpho’ A florifierous selecton with mauve-violet flowers.
- ‘Great Southern White’ White flowers arranged in pendulous panicles.
- ‘Jezebel’ Bright purple-pink flowers.
- ‘Painted Lady’ Violet flowers offset by golden-yellow foliage.
- ‘Plum Judy’ Deep pink flowers.
BUTTERFLY CANDY® Cultivars
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-9
Only released in 2021, the BUTTERFLY CANDY COLLECTION® comes from Botanic Friends (Van Son & Koot BV, Netherlands). A series (thus far) of six miniature Buddleja, reportedly well under a meter in height with a compact, dense habit, sporting flowers in various colours.
- ‘Botex 001’ (LITTLE PURPLE) Dark purple flowers.
- ‘Botex 002’ (LILA SWEETHEART) The flower colour is pale blue, but with a conspicuous pale yellow eye.
- ‘Botex 003’ (LITTLE WHITE) White flowers.
- ‘Botex 004’ (LITTLE LILA) Flowers of a pale violet-blue.
- ‘Botex 005’ (LITTLE PINK) True pink flowers.
- ‘Botex 006’ (LITTLE RUBY) Ruby-pink coloured flowers, relatively close to a shade of red.
DAPPER® Cultivars
Recently released (2021) by Star® Roses and Plants (Pennsylvannia, USA), a subsiduary of Ball Horticultural. Selected in 2016 by Scott Trees (Guadalupe, California, USA), they are small (about 1 metre height and spread) with a rounded, dense habit and abundant small inflorescences. Thus far, only available in North America.
- ‘Buddaplav’ (DAPPER® LAVENDER) This hybrid has light-mauve purple flowers. (USPP33625).
- ‘Dapconwhi’ (DAPPER® WHITE) A white-flowered variety. (USPP33566).
'Hinebud' Cultivars
A group of five diverse hybrids bred by Peter Podaras at Hines Growers LLC (California, USA) from 2010, and released from 2013 onwards. Only the first three were granted US plant patents, with ‘Dreaming Orange’ only having a limited release in Europe from 2017.
- ‘Hinebud 1’ (LAVENDER VEIL; DREAMING LAVENDER) The seed parent is an unnamed complex hybrid and the pollen parent FLUTTERBY™ LAVENDER FLOW (syn. “Podaras#12’). LAVENDER VEIL (syn. DREAMING LAVENDER in the European market) has a low-growing and spreading growth habit, and is extremely small at less than 30 cm in height. The small leaves are narrow and grey-green. Its pendulous inflorescences are composed of light lavender-coloured flowers. Mostly suitable for use in hanging baskets and containers, this hybrid does not thrive in exposed gardens or with any competition from more vigorous plants. A short-lived plant that is not intended for a permanent display, it is no longer widely available (pers. obs.). (USPP23498).
- ‘Hindbud 2’ (PURPLE SPLENDOUR; PURPLE SPLENDOR) A complex hybrid, growing to just over 1 metre in height and with an upright habit, and unlike the other ‘Hinebud’ cultivars. Foliage is dark green and with a rugose upper surface. The inflorescences are in long upright panicles, made up from several hundred purple flowers with a contrasting eye of yellow ringed with white. Although advertised as sterile, it produces fertile seed (pers obs.). (USPP24030).
- ‘Hindbud3’ (ANGEL WHITE; DREAMING WHITE) A white-flowered version of ‘Hinebud1’, similarly intended as a hanging basket or container plant. (USPP24300)
- ‘Hinebud4’ (DREAMING PURPLE) A plant very similar to ‘Hinebud1’ and ‘Hinebud3’, extremely dwarf and spreading, except with darker purple flowers. Not patented and only given a limited European release (pers. obs.).
- ‘Dreaming Orange’ ‘Dreaming Orange’ is an unusual hybrid of Buddleja marrubiifolia and Buddleja virgata (syn. Gomphostigma virgatum) (P. Podaras, pers. comm.) ‘Dreaming Orange is a small, straggly shrub usually less than half a metre in height. The extremely narrow foliage is grey-green and deciduous. The flowers are in a pendulous loose thyrse, and are about half the diameter (8–10 mm) of those of B. virgata; the corolla is golden-yellow in colour. A unique looking plant, but is uncommon in cultivation and not reliably hardy in damp conditions (pers. obs.). As a late entry to the series, it did not receive a ‘Hinebud’ designation.
HUMDINGER® Cultivars
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5b-9
The HUMDINGER® series was introduced by Walters Gardens Inc. (Michigan, USA), developed by Hans A. Hansen c. 2012 at their nursery, and released in the USA in 2015. Selected for a small, compact and floriferous habit, and generally flowering slightly earlier than other cultivars, most will remain under 1 m with a slightly larger spread if regularly pruned. Not yet described in the literature, but the US plant patents (USPP) do provide detailed information. Several of the cultivars have been introduced into the European market.
- ‘Orchid Annie’ This hybrid has an arching habit, and lanceolate grey-green leaves. The sweetly scented flowers are orchid-purple and arranged in elongated panicles. (USPP28176).
- ‘Little Nugget’ This hybrid has a low, wide habit and is distinguished by yellow-green foliage. Its contrasting magenta purple flowers deepen to blue-purple as they age. ‘Little Nugget’ has been superseded by the superior Humdinger® ‘Gold Drop’ in the catalogues, and is no longer widely propagated. (USPP28152).
- ‘Little Angel’ With a rounded habit and smallish foliage, ‘Little Angel’ bears unremarkable white flower panicles, although it is claimed to be repeat flowering. (USPP28204).
- ‘Magenta Munchkin’ ‘Magenta Munchkin’ has a low, rounded, ball-shaped habit with medium green foliage. The panicles are up to 20 cm long and consist of dark fuchsia flowers with lighter centres. (USPP28177).
- ‘Lavender Cupcake’ ‘Lavender Cupcake’ has a rounded, compact habit and bears panicles of light lavender purple flowers up to 30 cm long. A floriferous selection with a secondary flowering which extends the flowering season into the early autumn. (USPP28221).
- ‘Gold Drop’ The latest introduction c. 2018 (patent applied for). Gold drop has rich magenta flowers offset by golden-yellow foliage..
MONARCH® Cultivars
RHS Hardiness Rating: H6
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9
The MONARCH® series was developed from a programme led by Hans A. Hansen at the nursery of Walters Gardens Inc. (Michigan, USA) from 2010, and the first plants released 2017 once patents were granted. These hybrids are small but not extremely dwarfing, growing to roughly 1.5 m in height and spread, with a dense, compact habit. They are claimed to be particularly floriferous with a long flowering season. Originally developed for the North American market, several have been introduced into Europe. The US Plant Patents are the main source of reliable information, as this series has yet to appear in the literature.
- ‘Blue Knight’ Purportedly a cross of FLUTTERBY™ BLUE HEAVEN (‘Podaras#8’) LO & BEHOLD® ‘Blue Chip’. ‘Blue Knight’ is a compact and dense shrub with dark green leaves. It has outward-facing flower panicles 15–30 cm in length, with flowers that open a light lavender purple which deepen to blue-purple with age, panicles often displaying two-tone effect. (USPP28178).
- ‘Crown Jewels’ ‘Crown Jewels’ is distinguished by its dense, chartreuse-green to yellow foliage. The upright flower panicles are of a contrasting magenta purple. (USPP27878).
- ‘Dark Dynasty’ A compact shrub that has dark green leaves with a greyish underside. The flowers of ‘Dark Dynasty’ are a deep purple, although not as dark as those of the large cultivar ‘Black Knight’. The colour is rather inconsistent, with the rich purple shade on opening turning progressively more blue with age, somewhat spoiling the effect (pers. obs.). (USPP27834).
- ‘Glass Slippers’ ‘Glass Slippers’ has a mounded, multi-stemmed habit. The silvery green foliage is larger lower down on the stems, becoming smaller towards the apex. Long inflorescences of sweetly-fragrant pale violet to periwinkle blue are borne from late summer onwards. (USPP27832).
- ‘Prince Charming’ Sweetly-fragrant flowers of bright cerise-pink to raspberry-pink are arranged in upright panicles, the striking flower colour attractively offset by the dark green leaves whoch have silvery undersides. (USPP28903).
- ‘Princess Pink’ A later addition to the range, patented in 2021. ‘Princess Pink’ has a well-branched, rounded habit with lanceolate-shaped leaves, dark green above with silvery undersides The inflorescence is both broad and long, and mostly held horizontally; the flowers are an apple-blossom pale pink. (USPP33665).
- ‘Queen of Hearts’ Also compact and dense, ‘Queen of Hearts’ has mid-green foliage. Vibrant magenta flowers are arranged in panicles 15-20 cm in length, and are upwards and outwards pointing; it continues to produce smaller secondary flowers into autumn. (USPP27987).
'Podcept1'
Synonyms / alternative names
Buddleja HIGH FIVE PURPLE
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6a-9
Marketed as HIGH FIVE PURPLE, ‘Podcept1’ is a hybrid of Buddleja davidii × B. alternifolia, raised from gamma-irradiated seed. The breeder was Peter Podaras and ‘Podcept1’ was selected at his nursery c. 2015 in Oregon, USA. The plant is very small and compact with short branch internodes. The flowers are arranged in typical panicles with double, semi-double or single flowers, and are of a plain pale mauve-violet. The doubling is inconsistent and sometimes absent. The plant has been made widely available in both the USA and Europe. (USPP30285).
PUGSTER® Cultivars
Synonyms / alternative names
Buddleja ROCKETSTAR®
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-9
From a breeding programme started c. 2012 by Spring Meadow Nursery Inc. (Michigan, USA) under the direction of Timothy Wood, and released/patented from 2017. These hybrids grow to a maximum height of about 60 cm and have very short internodes on relatively sturdy branches. The inflorescences are generally quite upright, large relative to the size of the plant, and very densely packed with flowers. The leaves are slightly coriaceous (leathery) when compared to similar dwarfing cultivars, and are usually lost in winter. Released initially in North America, several have since been made available in Europe, renamed and sold under the ROCKETSTAR® tradename .
- ‘SMNBDL’ (PUGSTER® AMETHYST) With pale violet-purple flowers. (USPP30236).
- ‘SMNBDBT’ (PUGSTER® BLUE; ROCKETSTAR® INDIGO) A plant descended from ‘Adonis Blue’, with navy blue flowers. (USPP28794).
- ‘SMNBDO’ (PUGSTER® PERIWINKLE; ROCKETSTAR® ORCHID) The colour of the flowers is an unremarkable lilac-mauve. (USPP28796).
- ‘SMNBDPT’ (PUGSTER® PINK; ROCKETSTAR® FLAMINGO) A true pale pink shade in the flowers. (USPP28836).
- ‘SMNBDB’ (PUGSTER® PINKER) A later addition to the range (patented 2021), selected by Megan N. Mathey in 2017 at Spring Meadows Nursery Inc.. A seedling of ‘Miss Molly’ (syn. ‘Red Chip’), PUGSTER® PINKER resembles the other plants in the series and has deep pink-cerise flowers. (USPP33565).
- ‘SMNBDW’ (PUGSTER® WHITE; ROCKETSTAR® SNOW) The obligatory white-flowered member of the series. (USPP28795).
SOPHIE®
RHS Hardiness Rating: H6
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5b-9
A small Buddleja from Van Vliet New Plants (Boskoop, Netherlands). The flowers are pink to light purple and the plant is very free flowering. Granted EU Plant breeders rights in 2019 (EU PVR Title number: 53126).
SUMMERBIRD® Cultivars
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-9
A series of very small Buddleja bred and propagated by Volmary GmbH (Münster, Germany) and currently only grown in Europe. With a height and spread of 1 m or less and a well-branched habit, they are selected for growing in pots and containers. They have a low seed-set but are not entirely sterile. The first plants hit the market c. 2017, and the range of colours is expected to expand. (Volmary, pers. comm.).
- SUMMERBIRD® BLUE Purple-blue.
- SUMMERBIRD® MAGENTA Magenta-violet.
- SUMMERBIRD® MIDNGHT BLUE Dary navy-blue.
- SUMMERBIRD® SKY BLUE Pale blue-lavender.
- SUMMERBIRD® VIOLET Violet-mauve.
- SUMMERBIRD® WHITE (SUMMERBIRD® COMPACT SNOW) The white-flowered member of the series.
SUMMERKIDS® & SUMMERTEENS® Cultivars
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-9
Norbert Artmeyer of the Artmeyer Baumschule GmbH (Hörstel-Riesenbeck, Germany) developed the SUMMERKIDS® and SUMMERTEENS® Buddleja. SUMMERKIDS® are extremely small Buddleja (under 1 m) suitable for container planting; SUMMERTEENS® are only slightly larger and the flower colour is included in the tradename. The foliage and the flowers are the same B. davidii. They were registered for European Plant Breeders’ Rights from 2014, and the range has continued to expand. Mostly available in Germany, although there is limited availability elsewhere in Europe. (Artmeyer Baumschule, pers. com.; pers. obs.)
- ‘Artbud1111’ (SUMMERKIDS® BECKI) The inevitable white-flowered member of the series.
- ‘Artbud1567’ (SUMMERKIDS® BENNI) White flowers, this cultivar is no longer in production (2021).
- ‘Artbud1121’ (SUMMERKIDS® EDDI) Pink mauve flowers.
- ‘Artbud1138’ (SUMMERKIDS® EMELY) Lilac flowered.
- ‘Artbud1565’ (SUMMERKIDS® LENI) Mid-purple.
- ‘Artbud1125’ (SUMMERKIDS® LOTTI) Deep purple, fading to navy blue.
- ‘Artbud1569’ (SUMMERKIDS® MARIE) Inflorescences of white flowers.
- ‘Artbud1576’ (SUMMERKIDS® MICKI) Pale blue.
- ‘Artbud1356’ (SUMMERKIDS® ROMY) Deep pink-purple.
- ‘Artbud1583’ (SUMMERKIDS® SOPHIE) Bright pink-purple – should not be confused with another similar cultivar, called simply SOPHIE®, from Van Vliet (Boskoop, Netherlands).
- ‘Artbud1119’ (SUMMERTEENS® BRUNO BLUE )
- ‘Artbud1141’ (SUMMERTEENS® DAVID DARKVIOLET)
- ‘Artbud1108’ (SUMMERTEENS® LILITH LILAC)
- ‘Artbud 1580’ (SUMMERTEENS® MATS MAGIC RED) A later addition, in 2019, this plant has deep cerise-pink flowers.
- ‘Artbud1135’ (SUMMERTEENS® PABLO PURPLE)
- Cultivar name TBA (SUMMERTEENS® PIA PINK)
- Cultivar name TBA (SUMMERTEENS® VIVIAN VIOLET) A replacement for the now retired SUMMERTEENS® VIGGO VIOLET (no ‘Artbud’ cultivar name).
- ‘Artbud1105’ (SUMMERTEENS® WILMA WHITE)
SUMMERLOUNGE® Cultivars
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-9
A group of very small hybrids originally developed by Ball Ornamentals (Illinois, USA), but licensed to Lendert de Vos (Boskoop, Netherlands) for European release, the first four appearing in 2015. Not exceeding 1 m in height and spread, these plants are best suited to containers and planters (Lendert de Vos, per. comm.).
- ‘Blue Colibri’ This has mid-blue flowers. Withdrawn from sale due to poor performance in trials.
- ‘Blue Sarah’ ’Blue Sarah’ has small inflorescence of pale blue flowers and grows in a globe shape. A more recent introduction, replacing ‘Blue Colibri’.
- ‘Lilac Turtle’ The slim inflorescences consist of lilac-purple flowers.
- ‘Purple Lion’ Large panicles of purple flowers.
- ‘Red Dragon’ A small Buddleja with reddish cerise flowers. A later release (2019), it has since been withdrawn due to poor performance.
- ‘White Swan’ Much like others in the series, but with white flowers.