Pollinator plant

Butterfly bush

Buddleja davidii

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Common names

49 names · 31 languages
EnglishYour language
+5 more namesShow fewer names
  • Chinese Sagewood[3][4]
  • Orange Eye Butterfly Bush[1]
  • orange-eye butterfly bush[3][4]
  • Orange-Eyed Butterfly Bush[1]
  • Summer Lilac[1][3][4]
Other languages (30)
Dutch
  • Herfstsering
  • vlinderstruik[3][4]
French
+1 more nameShow fewer names
Afrikaans
  • Chinese Saliehout[4]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 大叶醉鱼草[4]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 大葉醉魚草[4]
Czech
  • komule Davidova[4]
Danish
  • Sommerfuglebusk[4]
Estonian
  • Davidi budleia[4]
Finnish
  • syyssyrikkä[4]
Galician
  • Budleia común[4]
German
+1 more nameShow fewer names
Greek
  • Βουδλέια Δαβίδειος[4]
  • Μπουτλέια Δαβίδειος[4]
Hungarian
  • illatos nyáriorgona[4]
  • nyáriorgona[4]
Irish
  • Tor an fhéileacáin[4]
Italian
Japanese
  • チチブフジウツギ[4]
  • フサフジウツギ[4]
  • 房藤空木[4]
Korean
  • 부들레야[4]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastoji budlėja[4]
Norwegian
  • sommerfuglbusk[4]
Polish
  • Budleja Davida[4]
Romanian
  • Liliac de vară[4]
Russian
  • Буддлея Давида[4]
Slovak
  • budleja Davidova[4]
Slovenian
  • Davidova budleja[4]
Spanish
  • arbusto de las mariposas[3][4]
Swedish
  • syrenbuddleja[4]
Turkish
  • Kelebek Çalısı[4]
Ukrainian
  • Будлея Давида[4]
Welsh
  • Y gynffon las[4]
Sources & name notes (5)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Buddleja davidii — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Butterfly Bush — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Buddleja davidii.
  • Orange Eye Butterfly Bush — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Buddleja davidii.
  • Orange-Eyed Butterfly Bush — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Buddleja davidii.
  • Summer Lilac — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Buddleja davidii.
[2] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • butterfly bush — Page 3, column 1, row top 217 pt; common-name cell after Buddleja davidii.; Buddleja davidii.
[3] Buddleja davidii — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Butterfly bush — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Fliederspeer — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Schmetterlingsflieder — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Schmetterlingsstrauch — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Sommerflieder — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Buddleia — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Chinese Sagewood — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • orange-eye butterfly bush — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • summer lilac — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • arbusto de las mariposas — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Arbre à papillons — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Buddleia — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Buddleia de David — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Buddléia de David — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Albero delle farfalle — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • vlinderstruik — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
[4] Buddleja davidii — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Butterfly bush — results[28].names[1]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Fliederspeer — results[28].names[9]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Schmetterlingsflieder — results[28].names[7]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Schmetterlingsstrauch — results[28].names[8]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Sommerflieder — results[28].names[6]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Buddleia — results[28].names[43]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Chinese Sagewood — results[28].names[31]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • orange-eye butterfly bush — results[28].names[3]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • summer lilac — results[28].names[2]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • arbusto de las mariposas — results[28].names[14]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Arbre à papillons — results[28].names[12]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Buddleia — results[28].names[5]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Buddleia de David — results[28].names[4]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Buddléia de David — results[28].names[39]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Albero delle farfalle — results[28].names[11]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • vlinderstruik — results[28].names[17]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Budleia — results[28].names[10]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • フサフジウツギ — results[28].names[13]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • komule Davidova — results[28].names[15]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • 大葉醉魚草 — results[28].names[16]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Davidi budleia — results[28].names[18]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Sommerfuglebusk — results[28].names[19]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • sommerfuglbusk — results[28].names[20]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Буддлея Давида — results[28].names[21]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • 房藤空木 — results[28].names[22]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • チチブフジウツギ — results[28].names[23]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • 大叶醉鱼草 — results[28].names[24]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Paprastoji budlėja — results[28].names[25]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Tor an fhéileacáin — results[28].names[26]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Μπουτλέια Δαβίδειος — results[28].names[27]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Βουδλέια Δαβίδειος — results[28].names[28]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • syrenbuddleja — results[28].names[29]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Liliac de vară — results[28].names[30]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Chinese Saliehout — results[28].names[32]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • nyáriorgona — results[28].names[33]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Davidova budleja — results[28].names[34]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Budleja Davida — results[28].names[35]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • illatos nyáriorgona — results[28].names[36]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Будлея Давида — results[28].names[37]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • 부들레야 — results[28].names[38]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • syyssyrikkä — results[28].names[40]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • budleja Davidova — results[28].names[41]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Y gynffon las — results[28].names[42]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Budleia común — results[28].names[44]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
  • Kelebek Çalısı — results[28].names[45]; taxon id 75916; Buddleja davidii.
[5] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Buddleja davidii ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Sommerflieder (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 157604; taxon NN2L.
  • Butterfly-bush (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 157603; taxon NN2L.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Buddleja davidii is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Scrophulariaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
1.83–3.66 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
1.22–4.57 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Arching; Multi-stemmed; Open

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Deciduous

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Occasionally Dry; Occasionally Wet

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Autumn; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: butterflies, hummingbirds, pollinators.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Buddleja davidii in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [3]
Native range
Tibet to C. & S. China.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [4]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Low suitability
Nectar value Low
Pollen value Unknown
Plant profile

About this plant

Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) is a shrub. It flowers from July to October.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Buddleja davidii — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 5052918; ID NN2L; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 5052918; ID NN2L; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Buddleja davidii — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Garden Plants

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 3, column 1, entry Buddleja davidii (top 217 pt)

    Source checked on .

  4. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Buddleja davidii — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 1331314; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 1222569, 1222570, 1222571, 1222572

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.