BUDDLEIA dav. Empire Blue

Planting Conditions and Ideal Location

• Light Requirements: Thrives in full sun, which encourages the best flowering and strongest fragrance.

• Soil Preferences: Adaptable to most soils, including sandy, loamy, and chalky types, provided they are free-draining.

• pH Range: Tolerates a range from slightly acidic to alkaline (pH 6.0–7.5).

• Moisture Needs: Prefers moderately moist soil but is drought-tolerant once established. Avoid planting in waterlogged sites.

• Planting Time: Best planted in spring or early autumn when the soil is warm and workable, giving roots time to settle before winter or summer extremes.

• Spacing: Allow 2–3 metres between plants to accommodate their mature spread and promote good airflow.

• Positioning Tips: Perfect for mixed borders, wildlife gardens, or as a stand-alone focal shrub. Works well at the back of a border for height and impact.

• Wind Tolerance: Hardy and tolerates exposed sites but prefers some shelter from the strongest winds to protect flower clusters.

Routine Care, Feeding, and Seasonal Maintenance

• Watering:

  • Water regularly in the first year after planting to help roots establish.

  • Mature plants require little extra watering except in prolonged droughts.

• Feeding: Apply a balanced general-purpose fertilizer in spring to promote vigorous growth and abundant flowers.

• Pruning:

  • In late winter or early spring, cut back last year’s growth to two or three buds from the base to encourage new flowering shoots.

  • Deadhead spent flower clusters in summer to prolong the blooming season.

• Mulching: Apply a 5 cm mulch of organic matter in spring to conserve moisture, feed the soil, and suppress weeds—avoid covering the plant’s crown.

• Pest and Disease Resistance: Generally pest-free, but keep an eye out for spider mites in hot, dry weather. Good airflow helps prevent mildew.

• Winter Care: Fully hardy in the UK and Ireland. In colder regions, a mulch layer over the root zone provides extra frost protection.

• Propagation: Easily propagated from hardwood cuttings in winter or semi-ripe cuttings in summer.

Ornamental Features, Seasonal Interest, and Garden Uses

• Foliage: Narrow, grey-green leaves provide a soft backdrop to the vibrant flowers.

• Flowers: Long, conical clusters of fragrant, deep violet-blue flowers with tiny orange eyes appear from July to September, attracting a wide range of pollinators.

• Wildlife Benefits: A magnet for butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects—hence its nickname, the “Butterfly Bush.”

• Fragrance: Strongly scented blooms enhance sensory gardens and outdoor seating areas.

• Ornamental Value: Brings height, colour, and fragrance to summer gardens and pairs beautifully with perennials such as echinacea, rudbeckia, and ornamental grasses.

• Garden Design Uses:

  • Excellent in wildlife-friendly planting schemes.

  • Striking in mixed shrub borders or as a specimen plant.

  • Effective when planted in groups for a mass of summer colour.

• Growth and Size: Fast-growing deciduous shrub reaching 2–3 metres tall with a similar spread when mature.

• Longevity: Long-lived if pruned annually to maintain a healthy framework and avoid becoming woody.

• Companion Planting: Combines well with buddleja cultivars in other colours, roses, salvias, and tall daisies for layered summer displays.

• Size
  3 Litre

We currently only deliver within the island of Ireland, other countries can be quoted for by contacting [email protected] or via telephone on 06964084
 

Standard Delivery is FREE on orders over €250*

All standard deliveries will be completed within 5-7 working days via Fastway Couriers, any delay to this delivery time, the customer will be notified by One of our staff.

The in-Store delivery charge will vary compared with online, in-store delivery charge is done on a case by case basis. 

* Only mainland Ireland addresses qualify for free delivery.
 

Live Plants Delivery

Our live plants are packed with care and diligence by our staff, our horticulturists review each plant before despatch to ensure quality is maintained.
Live Plant delivery charges are not calculated on weight but on the space required per package to ensure safe delivery, so delivery charges may vary as some plants require more space than others when packed.
All live plants are despatched within 3-5 working days where possible, our couriers aim to deliver within 48 hours of despatch from our Garden Centre to allow the plant to arrive in healthy condition.
 

Click & Collect

Can’t wait for delivery? Why not try our FREE Click & Collect service? Simply make your purchase online and collect it from our store located in Croagh Co. Limerick. Our staff will contact you by phone when your order is ready for collection (Please allow 24 hours minimum). When collecting your item, call the store on 069-64084. We will then load into your car as required. This service is available in-store 9am – 6pm Monday – Saturday (No collections on Sundays)

Click here for more information about our shipping conditions.

You can pay your online order either by credit card or via Paypal.
If you have any further questions about the online order payment please contact us via ­069 640 84 or mail.