Buddleja auriculata is an evergreen shrub endemic to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa, growing in montane fields and thickets at elevations of 600–2,000 m.Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. (1979) The Loganiaceae of Africa XVIII Buddleja L. II, Revision of the African & Asiatic species. H. Veenman & Zonen, Wageningen, Nederland. First collected by W. J. Burchell in 1813, and named by Bentham, the date of its introduction to western cultivation is not known, however it was accorded the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Merit in 1923.Bean, W. J. (1970). Trees & Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles, 8th ed., Vol. 1.. (2nd impression 1976) London.
Description Buddleja auriculata makes a large shrub up to 6 m in height, flowering in the Northern Hemisphere from October to December. The leaves are narrow, lanceolate, and dark green, contrasting strongly with the inflorescences, comprising small, loose, off-white panicles, the corollas with yellow throats, and exuding a scent once compared with Chanel No. 5.Phillips, R. & Rix, M. (1989). Shrubs. Pan Books, London.
Cultivation
Buddleja auriculata is not hardy below −10 °C and best grown against a south-facing wall in temperate climates. In the UK, the shrub is often planted as a source of nectar for red admiral butterflies still on the wing in late autumn.Brookes, A. H. (2007). Winter flowering buddlejas. Plant Heritage: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Group, Spring 2007. Plant Heritage, UK. The plant features in the NCCPG National Collection of Buddleja held by the Longstock Park Nursery, near Stockbridge, although the large specimen there was killed during the winter of 2010–11, when temperatures fell to −12 °C. The shrub can be pruned lightly to maintain shape each year in spring after flowering. Propagation from cuttings can be difficult.Moore, P. (2012). Buddleja List 2011-2012 Longstock Park Nursery. Longstock Park, UK. Hardiness: USDA zones 9–10.
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