Re: Buddlejas, invasive and not

Susannah wrote:
> 
> Buddleja davidii has begun to invade wild areas here in the Pacific
> Northwest of the U.S., and we are asked not to plant it.  I realize there
> are quite a few other Buddleja species available in the trade, and would
> love to try them -- but not if they seem likely to create similar problems.
>  Anyone care to share local experiences?  Which species have you grown,
> have they reseeded in your garden, are any species other than B davidii
> common in gardens in your area?

Susannah
Although I am not a local, I thought you might anyway be interested to
hear the New Zealand experience with this species.

In NZ B.davidii has escaped from cultivation so thoroughly it is now
classed as a National Surveillance Plant Pest, which means it can no
longer legally be propagated, distributed or offered for sale in this
country, though specimens doubtless still persist in old gardens. I have
myself seen evidence of its agressiveness in the wild, where in some
places locally it has entirely displaced valuable native plants,
particularly the tree Fuchsia.

My source of information on its status is Common weeds of New Zealand
(NZ Plant Protction Society) which also mentions four other Buddleja
species as occasionally found naturalized, but gives no specific names
apart from B.globosa which is sometimes found in remnant forest near the
sites of old habitations.  

It would appear that B davidii is the only species so far posing any
serious threat, but I guess this may change in time. Pehaps if one was
planting other species it might be wise to cut off their  inflorecences
before they can ripen their seeds.

According to Botanica several other species of Buddleja are sometimes
grown in NZ gardens, but the only ones I am at all familar with are B
globosa and B. salvifolia. However I think they must be out of fashion
now as I have not even seen these in recent years.

Moira
-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ.     Pictures of our garden at:-
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
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