Buddleia ‘Silver Anniversary’

Buddleia 'Silver Anniversary' (Buddleja 'Silver Anniversary') is the compact, silver leaved butterfly bush for gardeners who want the butterflies without the size or the seedlings. It sits at about 1.2m tall and 1.2m wide, with felted silver grey foliage all season and rounded clusters of scented white flowers through the warm months. Unlike the common Buddleja davidii, this hybrid sets very little seed.

Why you'll love it

• Silver foliage that carries the bed. The leaves are the real feature, felted and pale, and they work against dark greens and hot flower colours alike.
• Butterflies, without the weed risk. Nectar rich white flowers pull in butterflies and bees, and it sets very little seed compared with the older buddleias.
• Small enough for a border. At 1.2m by 1.2m it fits a front bed or a large pot rather than needing the back of the garden.
• Scented in the evening. A honey sweetness that lifts on warm still nights, best appreciated near a path or a seat.
• Undemanding. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, salt tolerant and content in poor soil, with one hard prune a year the only real task.

Where it works best

Borders and mass planting. Plant 1m apart for a massed border. A drift of three or five reads far better than a single plant, and the silver foliage holds the planting together when nothing is in bloom.

Pots and small gardens. A pot 500mm or wider suits it well, and container growing keeps it naturally compact on a balcony or a courtyard.

Feature planting. One plant in a gravel or coastal style bed does a lot of work, because the leaf colour is on show even out of flower.

Growing Buddleia 'Silver Anniversary' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, which is what keeps the silver in the leaves and the flowering heavy. It is a cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean plant, frost hardy and untroubled by coastal wind. Humid tropical and subtropical gardens are not its country.

Soil. Free draining above all. It grows happily in poor, stony or sandy ground and resents heavy wet soil, so mound the bed or plant into a raised position on clay.

Water and feed. Weekly water through the first summer, then only in a long dry spell. A light complete fertiliser in early spring is enough, and heavy feeding produces soft growth at the expense of flowers.

Pruning. Cut it back by about half in late winter to hold the compact shape and force fresh flowering wood. Trim spent flower heads through the season and it will keep producing.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock, so the plant that arrives is young, usually under 25cm and single stemmed. Buddleias grow quickly from this size and there is little to gain from starting larger. Expect it to reach close to its full 1.2m within two seasons, and to flower in its first summer or the one after.

In cold gardens it drops most of its leaves over winter and stands bare until spring, holding more foliage in mild coastal areas. Plants are delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse plants that feed bees and butterflies
• More fragrant shrubs for the garden
• Compact plants for small gardens
• How to prune a flowering shrub

Common questions

Will it self seed like other buddleias?

Very little. This hybrid was selected for low seed set, which is the main reason to choose it over the common butterfly bush. Deadheading through the season removes what small risk remains.

How hard should I prune it?

Back by about half in late winter, before new growth starts. It flowers on the current season's wood, so an unpruned plant becomes leggy and sparse within a few years.

How far apart for a massed planting?

One metre apart. At that spacing the plants meet without crowding, and each one keeps enough light to stay silver and dense to the base.