| Buddleja delavayi | |
|---|---|
| Buddleja delavayi
Longstock Park Nursery. |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
| Genus: | Buddleja |
| Species: | B. delavayi |
| Binomial name | |
| Buddleja delavayi Gagnep. |
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| Synonyms | |
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Buddleja delavayi is an unremarkable Chinese species discovered by Forrest in the Tali Range above Dali (2000 – 2500 m elevation), Yunnan, in 1910. The sole horticultural distinction of the shrub lies in its ability to flower in both the spring and autumn.[1]
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B. delavayi is a deciduous shrub resembling the commoner B. davidii in many respects, notably its leaves, being thin, glabrous and narrowly elliptical. The flowers, which first appear in April, are rose-lilac in colour, heavily honey-scented, and borne in loose panicles < 25 cm long. The buds of the spring flowers are formed in autumn, and protected from frost by small dry brown scales to resemble to those of the Cherry, and unique within the genus.[1]
Introduced to the UK at about the time of the First World War, B. delavayi was raised at Caerhays Castle by J. C. Williams, and later at Kew. The shrub is included in the NCCPG National Collection held by the Longstock Park Nursery, near Stockbridge, Hampshire.
B. delavayi is in commerce in the UK; suppliers can be found using the RHS Plantfinder [1].