From China came seeds of Buddleia davidii, the hardy species that is most familiar to gardeners today. Named after a French Jesuit missionary, Pere Armand David, B. davidii reached London's Kew Gardens in 1896. And horticulturists are still combing the Himalayan foothills for as-yet undiscovered Buddleia varieties. Easy to Grow Another reason for Buddleia 's popularity is that it's easy to grow, even hard to kill. After one of my bushes was flattened by a windstorm, it was pruned and uprighted with little fuss.
Buddleia davidii tolerates urban pollution and alkaline soil.
It's generally pest-free, except for spider mite infestations during drought or stress. It performs adequately in spare soil but prefers a sunny spot with well-drained soil, a light application of fertilizer in spring, and a few deep waterings in summer. Buddleia can behave like an opportunistic rascal. These volunteer seedlings come up fast and strong, and they usually succeed in killing the 'host' plant. Buddleia is at home in disturbed areas, such as road cuts or new development sites.