I hate buddleia!

[juneau]

What I specifically hate is a) the way it grows sooooo fast and b) the horrible little crispy things the flowers turn into when they die that get all down your clothes when you're pruning the damn thing several times a year.

WIBU to chop it down and plant a lilac instead? I love lilac!

I agree with you! Yes plant lilac.

I think I'm going to do it. But I'll need help to chop it down - the fecking thing is big and AFAIK it's been there a while. It was well established when we bought this house 5 years ago. I'm so envious of people who have lilacs though - there is beautiful one on our walk to school and I pause and sniff it every day and think, darkly 'I wish I had one of these rather than a bloody buddleia'.

I love it.... in other people’s gardens. They’re beautiful in full bloom and covered in bees and butterflies.

Go for it! For me, buddliea scent is too sickly but lilac is divine. We had neighbours who had a lilac and the scent used to billow down the back street. New house owners promptly removed it - miss it every year.

I read that buddleia isn’t actually so wildlife friendly - it provides nectar for butterflies but no food for the caterpillars when they hatch and the butterfly has lain its eggs on it. Any experts about?

I love Buddleia, such a reliable plant.

Horrid plant😡

I have one that's 15 foot tall and I'm torn between admiring it and cursing it. It's fabulous when it's in flower but the bottom 5 foot is just brown twigs because of the lack of sun. I don't know whether to raise the 'crown' and pretend it's a tree or hack it back into a shrubby arrangement again.

Oh, and my buddleia doesn't smell at all?

I got a new one and it’s a dwarf variety. I love them in full bloom but am aware they can grow huge.

bredbypetermoore.co.uk/plant/buddleja-sugar-plum/

I will see in a few years if it stays small.

I read that buddleia isn’t actually so wildlife friendly - it provides nectar for butterflies but no food for the caterpillars when they hatch and the butterfly has lain its eggs on it. Any experts about?

One word, well two...Mullein Moths. Pretty things but can decimate a buddleia..

I only prune mine once a year int he spring...though several are up at 6ft already. I've just bought some rainbow ones so looking forward to seeing them.

I have mini self seeded lilac bushes all around my garden. Free for the taking.

They smell lovely for a few weeks. But then they're just green leaf.

Budleia are simple at least. Hack them down to 50cm once a year. Then let them shoot up. And the leaves are a bit more interesting than lilac

Budleias (cuttings) burn beautifully, too.

My budleias smell like bins piled up in an alleyway. The bees better bloody appreciate them that's all I can say!

This is my fave Buddleia pic