RE: Buddleia

I first grew it (davidii) up in Rockland County, NY, and it died back to the
ground in the winter but faithfully returned.  A bit spindly, but it was my
first one and I didn't have many ideas what to do with it.

I just planted my fourth one here, and they have behaved well for me, even
in heavy clay.  I wait until (ha, like it's intentional... more like by the
time I get to it!) the new leaves are just starting and prune all the dead
branches back to that point, or sometimes lower.  The main branches on the 2
oldest are really thick (a couple inches - they are maybe 8 years old?) and
I cut them back to a low branching (a couple feet high or lower), or as far
down as I can with my loppers.  This spring I cut one of them way back and
thinned it, and am going to see how that affects its fullness.  I have been
lucky with these, though it seems to take a couple years for them to do much
(then they take off).

Libby
Maryland zone 6


-----Original Message-----
From: Maria Olshin
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Sent: 6/19/2003 11:02 AM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] Buddleia

I have had B. davidii "Pink Delight" for three years now, and usually
wait
until I see where the new growth is coming from before cutting it back,
usually  to 12"-18". Last year it made 7 feet and the bloom was
spectacular,
with hordes of butterflies and sphinx moths (little flying lobsters).
This
past winter the temp dropped to -120 and it died to the ground. It's
coming
back from the roots, slowly, in clay soil.

Maria NE PA, zone 5b



> 
> WOW, now this is a surprise to me.  I've never had any luck with the
> Buddleias.  Had tried various different types for years and years.
Had the
> same 
> problems as you, Kitty.....spindly growth, then eventually died.    I
have two
> now 
> that do very well, the B. lindleyana, has smaller bloom drupes than
the
> hybrids and suckers;  and B. marrubiifolia (which is a native to Tx.)
with
> round 
> yellow blooms.  These two do well.
> 
> Just wondering..... I seriously thought that anyone zone 8 or lower
could
> probably grow the Buddleia with no problems. That it perhaps was a
heat
> problem 
> since I tried various soils.  Wonder what the similarities are that we
were
> not 
> able to grow it, and what DOES it need to grow??   Anyone grow the
Buddleia
> davidii successfully??
> 
> Noreen
> zone 9
> Texas Gulf Coast
> 
> In a message dated 6/18/2003 11:02:46 PM Central Standard Time,
> gardenchat-owner@hort.net writes:
> 
>> Donna,
>> I've never had much luck with Buddleias. B.davidii cultivar came back
3 yrs
>> in a row then died, but it was always spindly looking. It was my
>> understanding that it was to be stooled not cut to the ground, but
maybe
>> that's wrong and why mine didn't perform well.  I also tried B.
>> alternifolia, but it died to the ground 2 years and then just
disappeared.
>> Less hardy than davidii.
>> 
>> Meanwhile, even though I personally don't need the rain, send it this
way
>> to arrive about Friday.  It's my week to water the nursery beds at
CES.
>> Yesterday's downpour should keep things nicely moist until then, and
Sunday
>> begins someone else's turn.
> 
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