Harlequin Buddleja Plants

Buddleja 'Harlequin': Variegated Butterfly Bush, 3-Litre Pots

Don't get over-excited: it is the variegated foliage with creamy edges that earns the 'harlequin' nomenclature on this butterfly bush; the flowering panicles themselves are a deliciously reddish purple flowers. It grows to 3m, so make sure it has plenty of room to perform. As with all buddleja, it is a crowd pleaser when it comes to butterflies.

Browse our other Buddleja, or all our garden shrubs.

Features:

• Reddish purple flowers
• Variegated foliage
• Blooms July-September
• Sweet scent
• To 3-4m x 3-4m
• RHS Plants for Pollinators

Growing 'Harlequin' Buddleia Bushes

Buddleia is tough and will thrive in any sunny position in moist and well-drained soil. In shadier locations they still grow well, but you won't get so many flowers.

They benefit from being cut back hard in early spring during the first half of March, and prompt deadheading prolongs their season.

As with any variegated shrub, prune out any un-variegated stems as soon as you see them.

In Your Garden Design

You could go the whole hog and plant it with other variegated plants, such as sage and Euonymus fortunei 'Silver Queen', or white and pink roses such as Ballerina and Raspberry Cream Twirl, pale Gaura and tufty grasses. Echinacea and Rudbecka fulgida and a stunning hydrangea such as Blueberry Cheesecake would work well too.

Did You Know?

This sport of B davidii ‘Royal Red’ was discovered in 1964, and originally sold as 'Royal Red Variegated'.