Buddleia
About Buddleia
Buddleia was introduced to the UK in the 1890s. It is now a common site in gardens, urban areas and wasteland, such along railway edges. Buddleias have woody stems and can grow to about 5 metres tall. The leaves are green and serrated with fine hairs on the underside. The tiny flowers are grouped together in a cone shape. They are commonly purple or white in the UK, but they come in many other colours including pink, blue and yellow.
The Problem
- Buddleias are an attractive nectar source to bees and butterflies causing them to favour the invasive species over native UK plants. This means that native species are not pollinated and may die without producing any seeds for new plant growth.
- Buddleias produce up to three million seeds per year, resulting in fast spread of the species.
- Buddleias are a tall, bushy species which shade out and outcompetes smaller native UK vegetation.
- Buddleias growing in soil or on riverbanks can cause heavy erosion.
- Buddleias can grow in small crevices which can cause structural damage to pavements, walls, and buildings.
The solution
- Small buddleias may be dug out by the root.
- Larger plants or plants growing within a structure may have to be chemically treated by injecting the plant with herbicide.
Great Glamorgan Way Project