Root spread

Can anyone tell me what the root spread of a Buddleia is and is it very invasive please.

 

Buddleja can be invasive, but generally isn't when its in a garden that gets looked after routinely. It doesn't really spread by its roots. It does however self seed quite easily if you don't keep an eye on it, and it can grow in some pretty harsh conditions. Sometimes you see it growing out of dilapidated brick walls for example.

In the garden setting, you'd typically cut the flower heads off as soon as they look shabby, so as to prolong flowering and keep it pretty. That means it doesn't get chance to set seed. However even if it does, it is only shallow rooted and the seedlings are very easy to spot, so you can easily control it.

 

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Thanks Clueless

 

I was just talking to a chap today, who was cutting his buddleja back. The plant was clearly very old judging from the size of the base, but every spring he cuts it back to within two inches of the ground. That way he says it never grown more than 4 or 5 feet high. And it certainly flowers OK as he was telling me how it had been covered by butterflies in the past.

 

We do that to our Buddleias each February too (well, not quite that low, but down to a foot or so)

 

When I had buddleja in the past (haven't got very much of anything in my new garden yet) I used to cut it down to about 3ft after it had finished flowering, just so it was tidy but still had some leaves to photosynthesise, then about March I'd hack it right down to next to nothing. It was always full of flowers by late summer.

Then as each flower finished, I'd cut it off. Buddleja's flowers form sort of a trident shape, with one mature flower at the end of a branch, then just below it there'd usually be two smaller branches with immature flowers on. Having been relieved of the old flower at the end, the two younger ones would then put on their show within a few days.

Any branches that were too long would get a more severe cutting. But still I'd only take it back no further than the two side shoots near the main stem(s).

They really are a fantastic plant. They put on such a show for so little effort, and are very popular with bees and butterflies.

 

There's me saying I haven't got much of anything in my new garden yet, then my son spots some daffs growing down the far end, the end I haven't started work on yet. I take him down there to investigate, and I spot what looks remarkably like a buddleja seedling growing.

 

I remember reading someone saying to cut half the Buddleia down in Feb, and the other half later, to prolong the flowering season. I forget to try it every year though!

 

Thanks all,

Top growth is not really a problem. It's the root spread and depth, because I want to plant close to an underground gas pipe which I know is set in concrete.

 

After asking everyone about the root spread of a Buddleia (thank you all) it's suddenly occurred to me I have another problem, the lack of sun! The wall I want to plant them against is north east facing. Is it worth taking a chance, or shall I have to think again. :DOH:

 

At my last house, my buddleja, which was a fine specimen, grow and flowered abundantly despite being under the canopy of another tree, so it got very little direct sunshine. The only direct sun it got was early in the morning and just before sunset, when the sun was low enough in the sky to get under the larger tree's canopy.

I say go for it.

 

Thanks again Clueless. I'm definitely going to go for it. I can't think of anything else that would suit the location as well. I've now got to make up my mind what colour, I believe there is one called Black Knight that I fancy. I'll probably be planting three so might mix the colours. :thumb: