Royal Red Butterfly Bush

Botanical Name: Buddleja davidii ‘Royal Red’

Common Name: Royal Red Butterfly Bush

Mature Height and Width:
6–8' tall × 5–6' wide

Growth Habit: Upright, arching deciduous shrub with an open, vase-shaped structure. Produces long flowering panicles on new growth. Naturally airy and layered rather than dense or mounded. Fast-growing.

Foliage Description: Lance-shaped gray-green leaves with a soft, matte texture and slightly lighter undersides. Medium texture. Deciduous in Zones 5–7.

Flower Description: Long, tapering panicles of deep magenta-purple flowers with small orange throats. Flower spikes are typically 8–12 inches long and arch outward slightly. Color reads richer and darker than many standard purple selections.

Bloom Time: Mid-summer through early fall (blooms on new wood)

Fall Color: Foliage drops without significant fall coloration.

Light Requirements: Full sun for best bloom production and strongest structure.

Hardiness Zone: USDA Zones 5–9

Notable Landscape Uses:
Pollinator gardens; backyard focal shrub; mass plantings; informal hedges; cottage gardens; summer color anchor in mixed borders; wildlife gardens; naturalized plantings.

Deer Resistance: Moderate
Butterfly bush is generally not a preferred browse, though tender new growth may be sampled in high-pressure areas. Established plants typically recover quickly from minor browsing in Zones 5–7.