Lo & Behold® Blue Chip Jr. Buddleia

The Lo & Behold® series of miniature Buddleias was already such a breakthrough for the Butterfly Bush, but now the Raulston Arboretum has outdone itself. 'Blue Chip Jr.' improves on 'Blue Chip' in several ways: it is even smaller, it is less brittle, and the leaves have more of a silver sheen to them. This much-anticipated sequel is not available until 2015 or later from most suppliers, but we are happy to offer it in the Spring of 2014.

The latest in the exciting new Lo & Behold™ series of miniature Buddleias introduced by the Raulston Arboretum, this mounding, well-branched plant reaches less than 2 feet high and wide, yet flowers continuously (rather than in waves) and never needs deadheading. This is the best variety ever developed for use as a groundcover or container specimen.

'Blue Chip Jr' reaches just about 20 inches high and wide, yet flowers profusely beginning in early summer (somewhat earlier than many) and continuing without cease into autumn. Unlike most older varieties, 'Blue Chip Jr' concentrates all its energy into flowering, and offers no volunteer sprouts or messy debris to collect at season's end. It doesn't even need deadheading! And the lack of seeds also makes 'Blue Chip Jr' less invasive, which is especially important in areas where seeded varieties of Butterfly Bush are now regulated.

'Blue Chip Jr' is a Proven Winner®, which means exactly what it sounds like. These high-performing varieties have been thoroughly tested in trial gardens all around the world, and their health, vigor, and beauty have proven unparalleled.

Like all Butterfly Bushes, 'Blue Chip Jr' thrives in full sunshine—the more the merrier—and any well-drained soil. Water and feed it well the first year to get its root system established in your garden. Once it feels at home, it's quite forgiving of heat, humidity, poor soil, and even drought. And it needs no special care beyond a strong pruning in early spring—cut it down to ⅓ its original size in late February/Early March, and watch it return even more dense and floriferous than before. Deer leave it alone, but hummingbirds as well as bees and butterflies are attracted to its sweet, lightly fragrant blossoms. Now you can enjoy the ease and beauty of Buddleia in entirely new garden settings, thanks to 'Blue Chip Jr'.

This variety of Buddleia has been approved as a seedless butterfly bush cultivar and is considered sterile, producing less than two percent viable seeds, so it will not spread. It is approved for sale in all states without restriction. https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/NurseryChristmasTree/Pages/ButterflyBush.aspx

• Butterflies like a lot of sunlight, so locate your garden in a sunny area.
• If you live in a windy location, plant your butterfly-attracting plants near a building, fence, or hedge to protect them.
• Plant a variety of nectar-rich plants, as well as shrubs and evergreens for shelter.
• Since many butterflies and native flowering plants have co-evolved, try to put in some that are native to your area. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center provides lists of plants native to states and regions.
• Certain colors are particularly attracting to butterflies – red, yellow, pink, purple, or orange blooms that are clustered or flat-topped, with a short flower tubes are especially attractive to adult butterflies.
• Avoid using pesticides, especially around nectar-producing plants.
• Provide a shallow source of water – try a birdbath with pebbles lining the bowl.
• Place a rock in a sunny spot for butterfly basking and resting.
• Create a "puddling area" by digging a shallow hole filled with compost or manure where rainwater will collect and release essential salts and minerals.
• If you want butterflies to breed in your garden, put in some caterpillar food plants, such as parsley, milkweeds, asters, thistles, violets, clover, grasses, and Queen Anne’s Lace.
• Since butterflies need nectar throughout the entire adult phase of their lives, try to create a design that will allow for a continuous bloom – when one stops blooming, another starts.

As the deer population has boomed and food has become scarcer, they have become more aggressive. In some areas deer will strip your garden bare, leaving nothing green or flowery behind. While there is no such thing as a completely deer-proof garden, there are some effective things you can do to protect your garden from these hungry animals.

Use physical barriers

Plant Deer-resistant Varieties

Having a dog In the Family

Shop All Deer-resistant Plants

B. davidii will adapt easily to almost any good garden soil, so long as they receive full sun.

In the northern portion of the range, Buddleia tend to die back to or near to the ground over the winter. Even in areas where they do not die back, they should be cut back to the ground in the fall or early spring to encourage vigorous spring growth. They break dormancy late in the spring, but with the onset of warm weather will grow rapidly and without attention. Do not overfeed.

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