Buddleja davidii 'Autumn Beauty'

Buddleja davidii 'Autumn Beauty' is a British cultivar distinguished solely by its comparatively late flowering, from August through to October. The shrub was cloned from a plant grown from seed sent from Beijing to Paignton Zoo, one of the four NCCPG national buddleja collection holders. The atypical phenology of the shrub has cast doubt on its taxonomy as a variety or form of Buddleja davidii,[1] however its flowers, foliage and structure are all very similar to the species.

Buddleja davidii
'Autumn Beauty' panicle
Cultivar'Autumn Beauty'
OriginBeijing, China

'Autumn Beauty' has been registered by Christine Yeo of the Pleasant View Nursery in Devon. Despite its short history of cultivation, the shrub has already acquired a confusing number of other names; see Synonymy.

Description
'Autumn Beauty' leaves

'Autumn Beauty' makes a dense, vigorous, multi-branched shrub growing up to 4 m high, bearing comparatively small terminal panicles, 15–20 cm long, of pale lilac-purple flowers complemented by narrow lanceolate pale green leaves. [2]

Cultivation

'Autumn Beauty' is a relative newcomer, restricted to the UK, where it remains a comparative rarity, and stocked by only a few nurseries.[3] It is included in the NCCPG national collection held by Longstock Park Nursery near Stockbridge, Hampshire.[2] The shrub has gained popularity with butterfly gardeners as a source of nectar for species such as the red admiral still on the wing in autumn. To this end, lepidopterist Clive Farrell planted a 100 m-long hedge of the shrub at his home in Dorset.[1] Hardiness: USDA zones 5–9. [1]

Synonymy
  • Buddleja 'Clive Farrell'[2][1]
  • Buddleja davidii f. beijing [1]
  • Buddleja davidii 'Beijing' [1]
  • Buddleja davidii 'Beijing Blue' [1]
  • Buddleja davidii 'Clive Farrell' [1]

References
  1. Stuart, D. D. (2006). Buddlejas,  p.67. RHS Plant Collector Guide. Timber Press, Oregon. ISBN 978-0-88192-688-0
  2. Moore, P. (2012). Buddleja List 2011-2012 Longstock Park Nursery. Longstock Park Nursery, UK.
  3. Cubey, J. & Merrick, J. (2012). RHS Plant Finder 2012-2013. Royal Horticultural Society, London. ISBN 978-1-90705-725-0
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