Buddleja albiflora
Buddleja albiflora is a deciduous shrub in the family Scrophulariaceae. It is native to the mountains of central China, where it grows on shrub-clad slopes at altitudes of between 1,000 and 2,000 m. Named rather carelessly by Hemsley (botanist)|Hemsley], the species was discovered by Henry, and introduced to western cultivation by Henry Wilson|Wilson] in 1900.
Description
Buddleja albiflora grows to a height of 4 m in the wild, the branches erect and glabrous. The leaves are narrow lanceolate, with a long-tapered point and wedge-shaped base, 10-22 cm long by 1-6 cm wide, toothed and dark-green, glabrous above in maturity, but covered beneath with a fine silvery-grey felt. The shrub is similar to B. davidii, but has rounded stems, as opposed to the four-angled of the latter. Despite its specific name, the fragrant flowers are actually pale lilac with orange centres, borne as slender panicles 20-45 cm long by 5 cm wide at the base; they are considered inferior to those of B. davidii and thus the plant is comparatively rare in cultivation. B. albiflora is hexaploid: 2n = 114.Cultivation
The shrub is fully hardy in the UK, and features in the NCCPG National Collection of Buddleja held by the Longstock Park Nursery, near Stockbridge.Hardiness: United [States Department of Agriculture|USDA] zones 6-9.