Green Guides: Buddleia Flutterby Petite

Buddleia is a staple landscape selection, but the Flutterby Petite series from Ball Ornamentals offers a new use. Thanks to its compact and spreading habit, Flutterby Petite works well as a groundcover.

It grows low and wide, spreading up to 3 feet with fuzzy foliage and dense, continuous flowers from early summer until frost, depending on the cultivar. Use Flutterby Petite to extend sales through the summer.

Flutterby Petite is a free flowering selection with panicles of tubular flowers that hummingbirds and butterflies find appealing. Colors range from white to pink to lavender. Less viable seed makes this series an ecologically responsible option, along with its drought and heat tolerance. Plants are hardy to  USDA Hardiness Zone 5.

Warmer temperatures will help increase the rate of growth during production. Full sun is best for optimum growth rate and compact habit, and pruning is recommended to increase branching. Plants ship easily.

• Flutterby Petite Blue Heaven features silver foliage and continuous blue flowers from early summer until frost. Blue Heaven grows 24-30 inches high and wide. Spacing is 36-48 inches.
• Flutterby Petite Dark Pink offers small deep-green foliage and smaller dark pink/purple flowers that continuously bloom from early summer until frost. Dark Pink grows 24-30 inches high and wide. Spacing is 24-48 inches.
• Flutterby Petite Lavender has gray-green foliage and lavender flowers. It grows 24-36 inches high and wide. Spacing is 24-48 inches.
• Flutterby Petite Pink is even more compact and grows 12-24 inches high and wide. Spacing is 24-48 inches. Pink flowers shine in front of the green foliage.
• Flutterby Petite Snow White offers a nice contrast of gray foliage and white flowers. Snow White also grows 12-24 inches high and wide. Spacing is 24-48 inches.
• Flutterby Petite Tutti Fruitti Pink features bright fuchsia-pink flowers and scented foliage. Tutti Fruitti Pink grows 24-30 inches high and wide. Spacing is 24-48 inches.

 For more: Ball Ornamentals, www.ballornamentals.com.