Park Hill, OK-- Looking for a way to invite butterflies and hummingbirds into the garden? Fragrant yet tough Asian Moon Butterfly Bush is a classic summer-flowering shrub (sometimes called summer lilac) that begins flowering in June and continues in profusion through late fall. Tiny, individual light purple or orchid tubular flowers have orange throats and are clustered on upright panicles that are held out like candles all over the shrub. The flowers are very attractive to butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and other nectar drinkers, outcompeting most native plants, and are a keystone of the butterfly garden.  Long, narrow leaves (6 inches long x 1 ½ inches wide) are finely toothed along the edges and gray-green above with silver undersides; the shrub is coarse in texture.

Originator Dr. Jon Linstrom of the University of Arkansas is a member of the Garden Debut® consortium of breeders, growers, retailers and marketers. His Asian Moon Buddleia is a large, symmetrical shrub that can reach 7 feet, but is easily cut back to maintain size and promote reblooming on new wood. Asian Moon’s special advantage is its sterile flowers that do not set seed,  a great alternative for U.S. gardeners in parts of the U.S, that have prohibited fertile Buddleias. The sterile flowers have a prolonged bloom period compared to fertile varieties, a gardening bonus.

Like the rest of its tribe, Asian Moon Buddleia is a fast-growing deciduous shrub that will require some pruning to keep it fresh each spring. It is best kept within bounds by coppicing or cutting to the ground in late winter, while in late July cutting the shrub back by half will control size and encourage heavy reblooming. Also like other members of the genus, Asian Moon is nearly indestructible, adaptable to gardens from Boston to Florida (U.S.DA. Zones 5-9). Consider Asian Moon Butterfly Bush as an easy-care selection that provides plenty of garden color and fragrance in full sun.

Useful in the landscape for summer bloom and to attract butterflies; used in masses, not as a specimen; can be treated as a herbaceous perennial to give height in the mixed border; or under-planted with low perennials.  

For more information on Asian Moon Butterfly Bush and other superior plant introductions from Garden Debut®, visit www.gardendebut.com. To set-up an interview phone Jim Thompson at 800-331-2982 or by email jim_thompson@greenleafnursery.com.

Statistics Chart for Asian Moon Butterfly Bush, Buddlei davidii cv. Asian Moon.