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Planting and caring for buddleia in open ground is a painstaking task that takes time, but as a result the area is radically transformed. The plant has a pleasant floral aroma, which attracts the attention of butterflies. The shrub got its name thanks to botanists Adam Buddle and Armand David.
The use of buddleia in landscape design
The plant's homeland is China, where it is known as an evergreen shrub. In Russia, buddleia sheds its leaves when winter frosts set in. Externally, the plant looks like a tall (up to 3 m) spreading bush, with pointed oval leaf blades. The shrub owes its decorative properties to its beautiful inflorescences.
The beauty of buddleia can be assessed from a photo in order to decide on its use in landscape design.The shrub is decorative already in spring: the upper part of the leaf blades of the plant is dark green in color, and the lower part is gray, velvety in color.
Buddleya is used both in group and single compositions, focusing on the size of the plot and the plan. Often they combine several varieties of shrubs with different shades.
The plant is harmoniously combined in flower beds with habit or other perennials: representatives of conifers, roses or hydrangea.
You can evaluate the Buddleia David shrub from the photo demonstrating the use of the plant for zoning a site, or as a hedge. Designers also grow buddleia as a tub crop, placing it on terraces and balconies.
The variety of Buddleia Davida varieties allows you to choose the best option for your site.
- Flower Power'R: Known among gardeners for its two-tone color. The inflorescences of the variety are very thick, fluffy, in the form of a spike, reaching 40 cm in length. The color of buddleia buds is orange-violet. Tall shrub (2-3 m).
- Variety Black Knight It is distinguished by an unusual dark purple color with yellow splashes in the center. The shade of buddleia is very rich and stands out against the background of silver sheets. Shrub 1.5-2 m tall, spreading branches, slightly drooping.
- Blue Chip is a compact representative of Buddleia, reaching 45-60 cm in height and 90 cm in diameter. The variety is used for cultivation in containers. The inflorescences of the shrub are bluish-violet in color and bloom from July to October.
- Royal Red differs from other varieties in its purple-scarlet flowers, collected in large inflorescences, 25-35 cm long. The buddleia shrub grows up to 3.5 m in height and is spreading (2.5-3.5 m).
- White Bouquet known as a white-flowered variety. Unlike other representatives of Buddleia Davida, it has more abundant inflorescences. The shrub's panicles are spike-shaped, fluffy, up to 20 cm long. White Bouquet grows up to 3 m in height, has lanceolate, dark green leaf blades. The White Profusion buddleia variety has a similar color shade and characteristics.
- Buddleia is popular among compact varieties Flutterby, reaching a height of 60 cm. The culture blooms throughout the summer and autumn months before the onset of frost, and tolerates low temperatures well (up to - 25 ° C). Buddleia is used for growing in pots. The bushes have gray-blue foliage and lilac inflorescences. The Buddleia variety does not propagate by seeds.
Features of growing buddleia
The shrub can bloom for 10 years. A feature of some types of buddleia is the ability to set fruit. They are capsules with numerous seeds.
The nuances of growing shrubs:
- in regions with harsh weather conditions, buddleia shoots freeze slightly, but the plant quickly recovers, giving new branches in the summer;
- fast-growing shrub;
- care requirements vary depending on the variety grown (amount of watering and fertilizing, preparation for winter).
The plant produces flower stalks abundantly, which attract attention with their honey aroma.
When does buddleia bloom?
The flowering period lasts from July to October and may vary slightly depending on the region where the plant is grown.
The first buddleia flowers can be seen both in the 1st-2nd year of planting and in the 3rd year of life. It depends on the care and method of planting. Weakened plants produce few buds and quickly wither.
How does buddleia reproduce?
The method of growing shrubs depends on the region of residence. In countries with warm climates, buddleia varieties can be propagated by seeds. This is a labor-intensive process that requires preliminary preparation and takes a long time.
The most common and less expensive way to propagate buddleia varieties on a plot is to take apical cuttings. They are obtained by cutting and then rooting the shoots.
How to grow Buddleia from seeds
The quality of the seedlings determines how quickly the shrub will bloom. When using this method of propagation, flowers can often be seen only after 2-3 years of life.
Growing buddleia from seeds is also possible at home: seedling material is collected independently or purchased at gardening centers.
What do buddleia seeds look like?
The seed material of the plant is similar to dust, very fine. Often, planting buddleia from seeds is difficult: they do not have time to ripen due to the long flowering period.
This leads to a decrease in varietal qualities and poor germination of the material. In regions where summers are short and autumns are cold, purchased seeds are preferred for growing buddleia varieties.
When to plant buddleia seeds
The choice of time for sowing seedlings depends on the region of residence. If you have a greenhouse or heated greenhouse, it is possible to transfer the material to the soil in March.In most regions, buddleia is planted with seeds and cared for in early or mid-April.
It is possible to plant the plant in the greenhouse soil in the first half of March, followed by picking and transferring it to separate holes. This method is only relevant for heated rooms protected from drafts.
Care requirements depend on the correct organization of planting buddleia seeds. The first stage of its cultivation is soil preparation.
Buddleia seeds germinate best in neutral and fertile soil. You can make it yourself or purchase it in stores.
For the soil mixture, it is necessary to use organic components (turf or leaf soil, humus and peat) and inorganic components (river sand, perlite).
The finished soil is disinfected using one of the following methods:
- steaming (the soil is placed in a container with ventilation and poured with boiling water, laid out in a thin layer on paper to dry);
- calcination (the soil is distributed on a baking sheet and placed in the oven for 30 minutes at a temperature of 60 °C);
- pickling: watering the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicides.
Containers for buddleia seeds should be equipped with ventilation holes. Peat pots, wooden or plastic boxes can be used as containers.
Washable dishes are thoroughly washed and dried; disposable containers do not require pre-treatment.
To organize a drainage system, a mixture of sand and humus in a 1:1 ratio is placed on the bottom of the container.
How to plant buddleia seeds
Before transferring the seed into the ground, the ground is moistened with warm water. Buddleia seeds are scattered over the surface of the soil and pressed lightly.
Sprouts appear faster if you provide them with the right microclimate. To do this, cover the container with buddle with cling film or glass and transfer it to a well-lit room.
Basic principles of caring for seedlings:
- regular ventilation of plantings;
- timely watering of the plant (to prevent diseases, it is recommended to periodically moisten the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate).
After the first 2-3 sheets appear, the film or glass is removed from the containers and, if necessary, the buddleia is picked. To do this, carefully transfer the plant to separate peat pots.
Gardeners note that, despite the simplicity of the process of planting and caring for buddleia seeds, the culture grows very slowly. The photo shows the sprouts of the future bush. The first buddleia shoots appear 3 weeks after planting.
Stronger plants are transferred to open ground after good weather sets in. To do this, holes are formed at a distance of 100-120 cm from each other. The depth of the pit for buddleia is no more than 60 cm; a mixture of sand and soil is laid on the bottom as a drainage layer.
Shrub seedlings are transferred to a hole, covered with soil and well moistened with water.
Propagation of buddleia by green cuttings
Gardeners can choose to purchase shrub seedlings in the store or prepare cuttings themselves. The procedure is carried out in the spring and summer months, but it must be taken into account that the rooting process lasts 1-2 months and must be completed before the onset of frost.
Buddleia cuttings are the cut off top of annual shoots. They should have at least 3-4 buds.The lower leaf plates and inflorescences of the plant are removed.
The Canadian buddleia lilac propagates well from cuttings if they are rooted correctly:
- Before transferring to the soil, the cut is renewed and dipped in a growth stimulator;
- soil (peat and sand are mixed in a ratio of 1:2) and watered abundantly;
- make a hole in the soil and place the cutting in it;
- The container is covered with a plastic bottle or bag.
Buddleia will root successfully in high temperatures, but the plant should be avoided in direct sunlight.
The shrub is transferred to a permanent location after the formation of the root system.
Planting and caring for buddleia in open ground
Growing Buddleia Davida is possible in greenhouses, greenhouses or open ground. The growth rate of the seedling and its adaptability to environmental conditions depend on the time of planting and subsequent care.
It is recommended to place buddleia varieties away from trees and tall shrubs: the plant has a strong root system that can prevent its neighbors from bearing fruit and growing.
When to plant buddleia in the spring
David's buddleia is planted and then cared for in the first half of July, when the daytime air temperature differs slightly from the nighttime one.
It is also possible to transfer shrub seedlings in early June, but the process requires the organization of frost protection with material or plastic bottles.
Where to plant Budleya
Buddleia branches continue to develop throughout the summer and autumn until frost sets in, so to prevent their death, choose a sunny area. It is necessary to protect the plantings from strong winds.
The soil for shrubs must be fertile, moisture-permeable and drained. In clay soil, the plant quickly dies or grows poorly.To enrich heavy soil, peat or sand and humus are used.
How to plant
When planting several bushes, it is necessary to mark the area so that there is at least 1-1.5 m between plants, and if these are tall varieties, then 2-3 m.
Basic principles of planting:
- prepare holes 20-30 cm deep, fill their bottoms with humus, add 1 cup of ash;
- transfer the seedling to the hole and cover it with earth.
At the end of the procedure, form sides of soil around the buddleia and water the soil generously with warm water.
Growing buddleia in the garden
After planting David's white buddleia, it is necessary to organize competent care for the young plant.
It requires timely watering, fertilizing and pruning; it is recommended not to neglect the prevention of diseases and pests.
Pruning is necessary to form a bush: after the procedure it looks neater, and in the future it will please with abundant flowering.
In spring, tall buddleias are pruned to 90 cm from the ground, and low-growing varieties to 30 cm. In summer, fading inflorescences are pruned.
Watering schedule
It is recommended to moisten young seedlings daily until the root system is strengthened. As the shrub develops, watering is reduced; adult plants are not watered. This is due to the fact that buddleia has very strong roots that can reach groundwater. Provides the necessary amount of moisture to the plant and precipitation.
During periods of drought, 1-2 times every 7 days, 10 liters of warm and settled water are poured under each bush.
Feeding Buddleia
Application of fertilizers to the soil is required from the 2nd year of the bush’s life. The procedure is carried out twice per season: in May and July.
The following are used as fertilizers for buddleia:
- additives containing minerals (20-25 g dissolved in 10 liters of water);
- a mixture of mullein (1 liter of manure) and superphosphate (15-20 g): the finished fertilizer is diluted with water and applied to the soil;
- chicken droppings with the addition of potassium sulfate (15-20 g of the substance and 0.5 liters of droppings are mixed in a container).
Is it necessary to mulch?
It is not advisable to loosen the soil around the buddleia: there is a high risk of damage to the root system. To ensure the supply of oxygen to the plant, the soil is mulched. To do this, use available materials: peat, humus or sand, fallen leaves.
When to transplant a Budleya to another place?
Moving the bush to another area is not recommended. Buddleia, due to its strong root system, does not tolerate a change of residence very well, therefore, as an alternative, a cutting is separated from it and transplanted to the desired location.
If it is necessary to transfer the shrub, remove it from the ground, preserving the integrity of the roots as much as possible, place it in a new hole, cover it with earth and water it abundantly.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for buddleia in the open ground takes time, but as a result the gardener receives a beautiful ornamental plant. The shrub is perennial, blooms profusely, and is immune to disease. The variety of buddleia varieties allows buddleia to be used in a variety of landscape projects.
