Nature on our doorsteps: The Butterfly Bush

The Buddleia bush is easily recognised as the gangly, spreading shrub that can reach up to 5m high. Its spikes of purple flowers are conical in shape, and they occur at the tips of its branches, by Rosaleen Dwyer.

Buddleia is a weedy species, meaning it spreads its seeds very quickly and can gain a foothold almost anywhere. It is frequently seen along roadsides, on abandoned urban sites, along riverbanks, and sometimes even growing out of unkept gutters and downpipes.

Buddleia is a distinctive shrub with spreading branches

The hundreds of tiny, scented flowers along its flower spikes produce plenty of pollen and  nectar. This nectar is a magnet for butterflies, and any Buddleia bush that is growing in a sheltered, sunny spot is often covered in these insects. For this reason, Buddleia is often referred to as the Butterfly Bush.

Despite this enormous benefit for insects, however, there is a problem.

Its seeds can travel far and germinate very easily. Also, because the bush can grow very quickly and overshadow neighbouring plants, Buddleia can become an invasive plant in natural habitats, pushing out native species.

If you are growing it in the garden for its heady scent and for its attractiveness to pollinators, it is therefore advised to cut it back after it flowers and carefully dispose of the flowerheads before they spread their seeds.