Description Buddleja macrostachya (Syn. B. cylindrostachya, B. hookeri) | Long-spiked Butterfly Bush (Late summer/ autumn flowering form) An exotic alternative to the more common Buddleja species, Long-spiked Butterfly Bush is native to East Himalaya to South Central China and North Indo-China, where it grows as a large woody shrub as hillside scrub and in forest clearings, and are usually found at altitudes greater than 3,000 ft. Plants have evolved at altitude, so are suited for temperate mountainous habitats. Full sun is best, but plants may prefer a bit of shade in the hottest part of the saeson. They require humus-rich, moisture retentive soil in summer and well-drained soil in the winter. Sheltering plants from the harshest winds and avoiding planting in frost pockets should insure the plants make it through winters. Adding a good layer of winter mulch on top of the roots helps protects the soil from freezing solid. Fully root hardy to at least zone 8 (10 degrees F). If plants die to the ground they will shoot up to 8-9 ft by autumn. The naturally occurring plants of this species are highly variable in structure, flower color, hardiness, and bloom period, but the ones we have were wild-sourced from China and are upright plants with huge deep-green, leathery leaves, and large, pink, violet-mauve, or deep purple upright flowers with bright eyes that bloom after a hot summer in late-summer or autumn, and occasionally in late-winter/early-spring. Rare in cultivation. Type: Perennial Sun Exposure: Full sun Mature height: 8-12 ft Mature width: 4-6 ft Hardiness zones: 8-11
