WHite Butterfly Bush

Butterfly Bush
Buddleia davidii
(BUD-lee-uh) (duh-VID-ee-eye)
Synonyms: Buddleja davidii, Summer Lilac, Orange-eye Butterfly Bush

This is another photo from my prowling around the farm on Saturday. Buddleia has always been a favorite shrub of mine. It produces so any sweet smelling flowers during the summer and fall. I deadhead ours but it is really not necessary and can be a big job. It does seem to extend the flowering so it makes it worthwhile. This year our Buddleias seemed to have grown more enormous then ever. We usually cut them back severely in the spring but must have missed it this year. This white flowered one, which is a little more rare, was about 8 feet tall with an equal spread.

Buddleia is a wonderful shrub to have if you have children. They really do attract butterflies but also bees. The other day at work (sans camera) I was getting the butterflies to walk on my hands as they flitted amongst the flowers. My co-workers were laughing at me but bit a little jealous at the same time.