# Butterfly bush (*Buddleja davidii*) The Butterfly bush is a colorful plant that attracts butterflies with its sweet-smelling flowers. It blooms in summer and can grow quite tall, making gardens look beautiful and lively. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Orange eye, Summer lilac ![Butterfly bush](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/BuddlejaDavidiiStrauch.jpg&width=800) Photo: -- IKAl 15:22, 23 July 2007 (UTC), CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BuddlejaDavidiiStrauch.jpg) ## Appearance The Butterfly bush has long, arching stems covered in silvery-green leaves. Its striking conical flower clusters, often vibrant purple, pink, or white, stand out from late summer, attracting many insects. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Scrophulariaceae - **Genus:** Buddleja ## Interesting facts - Each flower cluster is actually made of hundreds of tiny, sweet-smelling blossoms! - Its leaves often have a soft, fuzzy texture, feeling like velvet to the touch! - Some butterfly bush varieties can reach heights over 15 feet, like a small tree! - This plant is so tough, it can sprout from tiny seeds even in cracks of pavements! ## Special abilities - **Nectar Beacon:** Butterfly bush can produce abundant, sweet nectar that attracts a wide variety of butterflies and other pollinators for energy. - **Fast Spreader:** Butterfly bush can grow quickly and self-seed easily, allowing it to rapidly establish itself in new areas. - **Drought Defier:** Butterfly bush has deep roots and silvery leaves that help it withstand dry periods, staying vibrant even when water is scarce. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 180-360 cm - **Spread:** 120-450 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Sips nectar for vital energy. - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** [Red Admiral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-admiral) (*Vanessa atalanta*) — Feeds on flower nectar. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before touching plants, and be careful not to eat any part of them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Butterfly bush? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Butterfly bush? 180-360 cm ### How wide does Butterfly bush spread? 120-450 cm ### How big are the flowers on Butterfly bush? 0.3-0.5 cm ### When does Butterfly bush bloom? Summer to fall ### Is Butterfly bush edible? No ### Is Butterfly bush toxic? Mild ### What is Butterfly bush's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Pioneer Square](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pioneer-square) — Washington, US · Neighborhood - [Palmerton Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/palmerton-historic-district) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic District - [Micke Grove Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/micke-grove-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Wildpark Bruderhaus](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wildpark-bruderhaus) — Zurich, CH · Zoo [View all places to see Butterfly bush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/butterfly-bush) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Butterfly bush: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/butterfly-bush)