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, fast-growing, 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-wisePlant Select®Deer-resistant
Photos
Plan your garden
Not sure what to plant? The finder matches Front Range trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcover to your soil, water, sun, and zone.
Ready to plant this?
At a glance
- Botanical name
- Buddleja alternifolia
- Variety / cultivar
- 'Argentea'
- Type
- Shrub
- Mature size
- 8–12 ft tall and 8–12 ft wide
- Planting spacing
- ~12 ft apart (8 ft for a hedge/screen)
- Bloom length
- 2–3 weeks
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5–9
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Water needs
- low to medium water
- Sun
- Best in 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
- Plant Select®
- Yes, Colorado's Plant Select® program
- Bloom color
- purple
- Bloom time
- late spring, early summer
- Pollinator value
- high
Wildlife & ecology
- Pollinator value
- high
- Deer
- Generally deer-resistant
Planting & establishment
Water weekly first summer. Unlike B. davidii, this species blooms on old wood, prune only after flowering.
- Pruning: light.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Silver fountain butterfly bush good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes, Silver fountain butterfly bush is a well-suited shrub for 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 far apart do I plant Silver fountain butterfly bush?
- Space Silver fountain butterfly bush about 12 ft apart for a full, natural form, or about 8 ft apart for a faster hedge or screen.
- Is Silver fountain butterfly bush hardy on the Front Range?
- Silver fountain butterfly bush is hardy in USDA 5–9. The Colorado Front Range spans roughly USDA 4b–6a, so it is at its cold edge here. Site it in a warm microclimate and protect young plants.
- How much water does Silver fountain butterfly bush need?
- It needs low to medium water once established.
- How fast does Silver fountain butterfly bush grow?
- Silver fountain butterfly bush is a fast-growing shrub. Growth rate depends on water and site conditions on the Front Range.
- Is Silver fountain butterfly bush native to Colorado?
- No. It is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.
- Is Silver fountain butterfly bush deer-resistant?
- Silver fountain butterfly bush is generally considered deer-resistant, though no plant is deer-proof when browse pressure is high.
- Is Silver fountain butterfly bush a Plant Select® winner?
- Yes. Silver fountain butterfly bush is in Plant Select®, the plant-recommendation program run by Colorado State University and Denver Botanic Gardens to highlight plants that thrive in the region.
- How long does Silver fountain butterfly bush bloom?
- Silver fountain butterfly bush blooms for about two to three weeks on the Front Range. Bloom timing shifts a week or two with elevation and spring weather.
