Product Description
Buddleia 'Blue Knight' PP28178 (30)ct Flat
MONARCH® Collection
Common Name: Butterfly Bush, Summer Lilac
The newest addition to the popular MONARCH® Butterfly Bush collection! ‘Blue Knight’ forms a dense clump of minty green leaves. Incredibly long, 10-12”, outward-facing flower panicles open light lavender purple and deepen to blue-purple with age. The new and the aged flowers appear on the panicles at the same time, giving the flower an interesting two-tone effect. This plant has incredible flower coverage, giving you quite the performance when it starts its first flush of blooms in late summer.
Butterfly Bushes have certainly earned their place in the garden over the years, and its easy to see why. Just when we need a breath of fresh air in the late summer heat, they happily burst into bloom. At a time when many other plants are already spent, buddleias are just beginning their show. Their passive coloring and texture makes a wonderful backdrop for perennials, and you'll love the butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds that flock to their honey-scented blossoms.
Buddleias should be planted in a full sun location with fertile, moist, well-drained soil. Studies have shown that adding lime to the soil will result in increased growth and better floral quality. They are also moderately drought tolerant once established.
Since they frequently die all the way back to the ground in northern winters, it is best to cut back all of the old wood to about 12" in the spring. Doing so will result in more compact plants. They will quickly grow back to their normal height by fall and will flower just as prolifically in late summer since they bloom on new wood. You may notice that the flowers tend to be longer and deeper colored in cooler weather.
Buddleias tend to break dormancy late in the spring, so don't worry if you don't see anything happening with them when your other shrubs start to leaf-out. These are very durable and reliable plants.
Height: 3.5-4.0 Feet
Spread: 6.0-6.5 Feet
Hardiness Zones: 5,6,7,8,9,10
Flower Color: Blue shades
Foliage Color: Green shades
Full Sun (> 6 hrs. Direct Sun)
Low Water Needs
Average Water Needs
Average to Fertile Soil Quality
Bloomtime: Late Summer - Early Fall, Long Blooming
Attracts Butterflies and Hummingbirds
Bee Friendly
Deer Resistant
Growth Rate: Rapid
Border Plant, Drought Tolerant, Fragrant Flowers, Specimen, Focal Point
Thirty (30) plants per flat (or tray). Approximate Plug Measurements: 3 inches deep x 2 inches wide.
Other Details
The most important part of the plant is its root system. Healthy roots are the foundation of a healthy, vibrant plant. The type of plug container used is based on the specific needs of the plants. Perennials offered as bare root traditionally perform better when planted as bare root.Planted in a specialized mix, potted plants have well established root systems. Top growth stage will vary depending on the current life cycle and time of year when shipped. In Winter and early Spring dormant plants may be shipped. Dormant plants may be planted right away, even before the last frost date.
Most bare root varieties are field grown for at least one season, though Hemerocallis and Hosta are grown for two seasons. The bulk of the soil is removed during the harvesting process and the tops of most varieties are trimmed back to the crown. They are graded, packed in shredded aspen or sphagnum moss and stored in freezers until ready to be shipped.
See our Container Sizes and Bare Root Perennials pages for more information.
Plant information and care is provided in the Overview section, Plant Genus Page and general information is provided in the Planting Care & Guides. Additional questions can be asked on each Plant page.
Plant Spacing: Using the maximum mature spread or width of a plant to guide spacing, ensures space to grow to full size. To fill an area sooner, plant them closer together. Just remember, future thinning or transplanting may be needed.
Water: Keep a close eye on newly planted perennials, especially throughout the first growing year. Most early plant loss is due to too much or too little water!