Sungold Buddleia

Sungold Buddleia (Buddleja x weyeriana 'Sungold') is a large, fast growing butterfly bush, about 4m tall and 4m wide, covered in round, pompom-like heads of golden yellow flowers with a honey scent from summer to late autumn. It is frost hardy, heat tolerant and drought tolerant, and it carries the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Why you'll love it

• Golden pompoms. The round flower heads are a warm golden yellow with a honey scent, a colour few other butterfly bushes offer.
• Recognised by the RHS. It holds the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, a mark of a reliable, good looking garden shrub.
• Tough in heat, frost and drought. It is heat tolerant, frost hardy (to about -10C) and drought tolerant once it is established.
• Plenty of visitors. Butterflies, bees and birds all work the flowers through the long season.
• A big presence quickly. It is fast growing, so a new boundary or corner fills out in a few seasons.

Where it works best

Large borders and boundaries. At 4m by 4m it needs space. Give each plant a full 3m to 4m and it will make a generous, billowing feature.

A loose, open hedge. Plant 3m apart along a long boundary for an informal flowering screen. It stays open and airy rather than dense.

Kitchen gardens and bird gardens. Pollinators and birds visit the flowers, so it works as a shelter and focal point at the edge of a vegetable or fruit area.

Growing Sungold Buddleia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun in free draining soil. It grows taller in warmer regions and suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean, semi arid and subtropical gardens. Because it is a big plant, choose the spot with its full size in mind.

Soil. Free draining soil is essential. It prefers an alkaline soil and does not like rich acid ground, so test your soil first if you are unsure.

Water and feed. Mulch around the roots and water regularly for the first 12 weeks or so, until it is settled. Feed with a slow release fertiliser in spring, and give it a boost with seaweed solution in the summer heat.

Pruning. In mild climates, prune in late winter; where winters are cold, wait until early spring when the frosts have passed. Either way it encourages flowering stems, and on a plant this size an annual prune is how you keep a manageable shape.

What to expect when it arrives

Sungold Buddleia comes as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It is small at first but grows fast in warm weather. Plants travel upright, so plant out promptly into free draining soil in full sun and keep the water up for the first few weeks.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse more buddleias and butterfly bushes
• Plants that attract birds
• Frost hardy plants for cold gardens
• How to prepare the soil for planting

Common questions

Is it too big for a small garden?

Probably, yes. Sungold reaches about 4m wide, almost twice the size of Golden Glow, so it needs a large border or boundary.

Will it grow in acid soil?

It would prefer not to. It likes free draining, alkaline soil and does not do well in rich acid ground. If your soil is acid and rich, choose a different shrub or grow Sungold in a large raised bed.

Is it frost hardy?

Yes, to about -10C. That is slightly less than other buddleias, but fine for most of the country.