Silver fountain butterfly bush
Buddleja alternifolia
Silver fountain butterfly bush (Buddleja alternifolia) is a shrub suited to the Colorado Front Range. It matures to about 8–12 ft tall and 8–12 ft wide, needs low to medium water, and prefers full sun. Fountain-form arching habit. Silver foliage, fragrant purple blooms cover the plant in late spring.
low to medium water8–12 ft tall and 8–12 ft wideXeric / water-wiseDeer-resistant
Photos
At a glance
- Botanical name
- Buddleja alternifolia
- Variety / cultivar
- 'Argentea'
- Type
- Shrub
- Mature size
- 8–12 ft tall and 8–12 ft wide
- Water needs
- low to medium water
- Sun
- full sun
- Colorado native
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Soil
- loam, well drained only
- Soil pH
- 6.5–8.0
- Hail tolerance
- moderate
- Wind tolerance
- moderate
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
- Bloom color
- purple
- Bloom time
- late spring, early summer
- Pollinator value
- high
Planting & establishment
Water weekly first summer. Unlike B. davidii, this species blooms on old wood — prune only after flowering.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Silver fountain butterfly bush good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes. Silver fountain butterfly bush is included in the Front Range Plant Finder as a shrub suited to Colorado's Front Range.
- How big does Silver fountain butterfly bush get?
- It matures to about 8–12 ft tall and 8–12 ft wide.
- How much water does Silver fountain butterfly bush need?
- It needs low to medium water once established.
- Is Silver fountain butterfly bush native to Colorado?
- No — it is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.
