Buddleja Lochinch - Ideal for Pollinators and Summer Colour

Butterfly Bush Lochinch, Buddleia Lochinch

Looking for a show-stopping shrub that thrives in full sun and keeps your garden buzzing with life? Buddleja Lochinch could be your new favourite. This striking butterfly bush offers violet-blue flower spikes with orange eyes, silvery foliage, and an exceptionally long flowering season. It’s a magnet for butterflies and bees, and a firm favourite with the RHS. Whether you’re planning a sunny border or a wildlife-friendly corner, this award-winning hybrid is well worth a spot.

Buddleja Lochinch is a deciduous shrub that blends ornamental beauty with practical resilience. Its sweetly scented flowers bloom in lilac-blue shades with eye-catching orange eyes, forming long panicles that arch gracefully from silvery, grey-green leaves. This butterfly bush is a hybrid between Buddleja davidii and Buddleja fallowiana, combining the best traits of both parents.

Its compact size, around 2m tall and wide, makes it ideal for smaller spaces. It suits sunny borders, cottage gardens, or even large containers. Notably, Buddleja Lochinch holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit, a testament to its performance, disease resistance, and beauty.

The flowers are the star attraction. Each cluster is packed with tubular, violet-blue blooms with bold orange eyes, arranged in upright, conical panicles. These fragrant flowers appear from midsummer into late summer, sometimes offering a second flush if deadheading is maintained.

The foliage is equally appealing. Grey-green, lance-shaped leaves with a silvery underside create a soft contrast to the vibrant blooms. The overall effect is airy and refined, particularly when the arching branches sway gently in the breeze.

The flowering season typically begins in July and continues into September. With regular deadheading and warm weather, you may see a second flush of flowers in early autumn.

These sweetly scented blooms not only add colour but also fill the garden with a subtle, honey-scented fragrance. This extended flowering season is one reason Buddleja Lochinch remains a firm favourite among gardeners.

Yes! Buddleja Lochinch is a low-maintenance, fast-growing deciduous shrub that performs best in well-drained soil in full sun. It’s perfect for both novice and experienced gardeners. Its tolerance for poor soils, pollution, and pruning makes it remarkably versatile in both urban and rural settings.

Prune hard in early spring, just as buds from the base begin to swell. Cut all stems to a height of about 30-60cm from the ground. This encourages strong, upright growth and improves flower production.

Removing spent flower spikes during the summer helps extend the blooming period and prevents unwanted self-seeding. Deadheading also improves the plant’s appearance and encourages additional bloom. Always use clean, sharp secateurs.

This shrub prefers well-drained soil in full sun. It can tolerate light shade but blooms more profusely with maximum sunshine. If your soil is heavy, improve drainage with compost and grit. Avoid waterlogged conditions, especially in winter.

Buddleja Lochinch is hardy across most of the UK and survives winter temperatures as low as -15°C (5°F). Plant it in a sheltered spot to protect emerging shoots from late frosts.

While best suited for the ground, Buddleja Lochinch can also be grown in a large container if space is limited. Use John Innes No. 3 compost with added grit for drainage. Feed monthly during the growing season and prune annually.

Container-grown plants need more frequent watering, particularly during hot spells. Position the container in a spot that gets full sun and deadhead regularly to maintain a tidy shape.

Buddleja Lochinch is relatively trouble-free. However, young shoots can sometimes attract aphids. These can be dealt with using a strong jet of water or organic insecticidal soap.

Keep the base of the plant free from weeds, and avoid over-feeding, which can lead to leggy growth. Regular pruning helps maintain a compact, healthy shape.

Its nectar-rich, sweetly scented flowers are highly attractive to butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. This makes it an ideal choice for gardeners seeking to support UK biodiversity.

By planting Buddleja Lochinch, you’re not just adding colour and scent to your garden—you’re creating a valuable food source for wildlife throughout summer.

Buddleja Lochinch holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), given to plants that perform reliably in UK gardens. It’s noted for its long flowering season, its attractiveness to butterflies, and its low-maintenance needs.

This cultivar’s horticultural appeal lies in its combination of form, flower, and foliage. The light violet-blue flowers with orange eyes and the deep green-grey leaves offer excellent contrast and visual interest.

Although I don’t currently have Buddleja Lochinch growing in my garden, it’s definitely one I admire and recommend. Its combination of violet-blue flowers, silvery foliage, and graceful form brings a real sense of elegance to sunny borders. It’s the kind of plant that quietly lifts the whole garden, especially when it’s alive with butterflies and bees on a summer’s afternoon. I often suggest it to friends who want something reliable, low-maintenance, and wildlife-friendly without compromising on looks. If you’ve got a bright, open spot and enjoy plants that do a lot with minimal fuss, Lochinch is well worth your consideration.

• Deciduous shrub with violet-blue flowers and orange eyes
• RHS Award of Garden Merit winner and excellent for UK gardens
• Blooms from midsummer to late summer, often with a second flush
• Sweetly scented, nectar-rich flowers attract butterflies and bees
• Grows best in well-drained soil in full sun
• Hardy to around -15°C (5°F) and tolerant of poor soil
• Prune in early spring to encourage buds from the base
• Deadhead to extend flowering and encourage additional bloom
• Ideal for cottage gardens, sunny borders, and wildlife-friendly planting
• Originated at Lochinch Castle in the garden of the Earl of Stair

Buddleja Lochinch thrives in full sun with well-drained, improved soil of any pH and is hardy down to –15°C (5°F). After 5–10 years, it typically reaches 1.5–2.5 m (5–8 ft) in height, forming an elegant, bushy shrub. From July to September, it produces fragrant lavender-blue flower spikes with orange eyes, while its silvery foliage is attractive throughout the summer. With annual improvement, hard pruning in spring, and minimal upkeep, it’s an appealing and reliable choice for UK gardens, especially if you enjoy pollinator and wildlife activity.

Want to learn about other shrub varieties? Read about Buddleja White Profusion here.

For more information on Shrubs for your garden, please click here.

Q: What is Buddleja Lochinch, and why is it popular with gardeners?

A: Buddleja Lochinch is a striking hybrid butterfly bush, prized for its violet-blue flowers with contrasting orange eyes and silvery-grey foliage. This compact, deciduous shrub is ideal for sunny borders and cottage-style gardens, offering long-lasting blooms from midsummer into early autumn. Its fragrant flowers are highly attractive to butterflies and other pollinators, making it a top choice for wildlife-friendly gardens. Awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit, Lochinch is valued not only for its beauty but also for its reliability and ease of cultivation, thriving in well-drained soil in full sun.

Q: When is the flowering season for Buddleja Lochinch?

A: Buddleja Lochinch blooms from mid to late summer, typically July through to September. During this time, it produces dense panicles of tubular, lilac-blue flowers with vivid orange eyes that attract butterflies and bees. With regular deadheading, you can often encourage a second flush of flowers well into early autumn. This extended flowering season makes it a valuable and ornamental addition to borders, particularly when other perennials may be fading.

Q: How do I plant Buddleja Lochinch for best results?

A: Plant Buddleja Lochinch in a sunny, well-drained location—ideally in soil enriched with well-rotted compost. Choose a spot with sufficient space for its arching habit, allowing it to reach its mature height and spread of around 2.5–3 meters. Though tolerant of poor soils, it performs best in fertile conditions with good drainage. Plant it at the same depth as it was in the pot and water it well during dry spells until it is established. Ideal for mixed borders, wildlife gardens, or as a statement shrub.

Q: How should I prune Buddleja Lochinch?

A: Prune Buddleja Lochinch in early spring, once the worst of the frost has passed. Cut back the previous year’s growth hard down to 30–60cm from the base to encourage strong, new shoots that will flower in summer. Deadheading throughout the flowering season not only improves appearance but also encourages additional blooms. Avoid autumn pruning, as new growth is vulnerable to winter damage. This annual routine helps maintain a bushy, healthy shape and promotes abundant flowering.

Q: Is Buddleja Lochinch hardy in the UK climate?

A: Yes, Buddleja Lochinch is fully hardy across most of the UK. It can withstand winter temperatures and typically loses its leaves in colder months, returning with vigour in spring. In particularly exposed locations, a mulch around the base in autumn can help protect the roots. While young plants benefit from some shelter, mature specimens are robust and thrive even in challenging conditions, making them well-suited to UK gardens.

Q: Is Buddleja Lochinch attractive to butterflies?

A: Absolutely. Like many butterfly bushes, Buddleja Lochinch is a magnet for butterflies, bees and other nectar-loving insects. Its fragrant, nectar-rich flowers provide an important food source during summer when pollinators are most active. If you’re looking to support wildlife while enhancing your garden’s visual appeal, Lochinch is an excellent choice. Its tubular blooms and long flowering period ensure ongoing activity and colour in the border.

Q: How large does Buddleja Lochinch grow?

A: When fully established, Buddleja Lochinch typically reaches a height and spread of around 2.5 to 3 metres. It forms an upright yet arching shrub with a naturally elegant shape, making it an ideal standalone specimen or as part of a mixed border. Regular pruning in spring helps manage its size and shape while promoting strong flowering stems. It’s a vigorous grower but relatively easy to keep in check with annual maintenance.

Q: Can I grow Buddleja Lochinch in partial shade?

A: While Buddleja Lochinch will tolerate light shade, it performs best when grown in full sun. A sunny location ensures the most abundant flowering and helps intensify the colour and fragrance of the blooms. In shadier conditions, flowering may be reduced, and growth may become leggy. For optimal performance, place it in a bright, south- or west-facing spot with good airflow and well-drained soil.

Q: Does Buddleja Lochinch require feeding?

A: Buddleja Lochinch is relatively low maintenance but does benefit from a light feed in spring to encourage healthy growth and generous flowering. Use a balanced, general-purpose feed or mulch around the base with garden compost or well-rotted manure. Avoid overfeeding, as this can promote leafy growth at the expense of flowers. Deadheading and pruning remain more important for performance, but a spring feed supports vigorous blooming.

Q: Where can I buy Buddleja Lochinch?

A: Buddleja Lochinch is widely available from UK garden centres, nurseries, and reputable online plant retailers. Look for healthy young plants with strong shoots and no signs of pest damage. Many nurseries also stock this variety in late spring and early summer when demand peaks. Buying from a trusted source ensures you receive a quality plant that will thrive with proper care.