‘Black Knight’ Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii ‘Black Knight’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 5a-9b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Perennial Shrub

Height at Maturity: 8-10′

Width at Maturity: 4-6′
Spacing: 4′ for solid hedges, 10′ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Arching, Bushy, Upright, Vase/Fountain Shape

Growth Rate: Fast to Very Fast

Flower Color: Deep Purple

Flower Size: 8-10″ long clusters

Flowering Period: June to Frost!

Flower Type: Spike

Fragrant Flowers: Yes

Foliage Color: Grey-Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Berry Color: No

Sun Needs: Full to Mostly Sun

Water Needs: Average, low when established

Soil Type: Clay (Amedned), Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well-drained moist to dry

Soil pH: 5.5 – 8.5 (Acid to Moderately Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Low to Average

Attracts: Visual Attention, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought, Dry Soil, Heat, Insect, Rabbit

Description

A long time favorite of ours, and the hummingbirds and butterflies, Black Knight is a tall-growing Buddleia that produces elongated clusters of fragrant, deep purple (almost black) flowers from June all the way to frost. The flower clusters appear at the ends of long and arching branches on plants that grow 8 to 10 feet tall by 4 to 5 feet wide. The willow-like, grayish green leaves are a wonderful contrast and backdrop for the flowers. Great for use in perennial gardens and and outdoor living spaces where the butterflies and hummingbirds that flock to the plant can be viewed as they feast on the honey-scented flowers.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 8 to 10 foot tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, the Black Knight Butterfly Bush is ideal for use as a specimen, in groupings or as a colorful hedge or background in landscape and perennial borders. A fine addition to butterfly and hummingbird gardens, purple theme gardens, Xeriscape gardens (low water needs and cottage gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for solid hedges or mass plantings; 7′ or more apart for space between plants

How To Measure Total Square Feet Of A Planting Area

How Many Plants Needed To Cover A Planting Area?

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5a, where this Butterfly Bush variety is not winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

Knight Butterfly Bush thrives in full to mostly sun and isn’t too picky about soil type, provided the soil is well-drained. Plants are quite drought tolerant when established and deer don’t like them! Very easy to grow!

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, fertilize, prune and water Butterfly Bushes.

How To Plant & Care For Butterfly Bushes

Planning a Butterfly Garden

Butterfly Garden Design & Planting Tips

Plant Long & Prosper!

Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff

Questions? Contact Us!

Large healthy plants shipped so they were well protected. Wilson Brothers is my go to supplier for all my plants!—————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

This is the 2nd order I have received from Wilson. Both shipments were timely, well-packaged and healthy plants. Very pleased with the selections and robustness of the speciens received. Below is the Cranrazz bush I received a few months ago.—————————————–It’s beautiful! Thanks for the photo. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

fast shipping nice healthy plant; like the fact you can buy bigger plants at Wilson Bros versus the twigs you get at other places—————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Love my Black Knight Butterfly bush.. came safe and nicely packaged. Planted in my front yard.. Fast delivery too! Will definitely buy from this company again!!—————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

This was a gift. I had it sent directly to my daughter in law. This always makes me uneasy. You never know what the quality will be when you send something sight unseen. Happily she was very pleased with this plant. It was large and healthy! She sent me a picture. very pleased with the butterfly bush. I would order from Wilson Bros again!——————————————————We are so glad you and your daughter in law are pleased and we hope she enjoys it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Nice plants, well packed. Thanks!———————————We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

I was searching online for a butterfly bush to buy for a friend of mine. This site came up and I found this plant. I ordered it and when I received it I was beyond pleased. It was in great shape and very healthy. I was so impressed I ordered two more butterfly bushes for myself.——————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you both enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Arrived in great condition and doing well. Came about 2 ft tall wth no damage. Couldn’t be better.————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

When I received my plant I was so excited. The plant was packed very well, no damage and it was a full plant, not a scrawny seedling. I let the black knight acclimate for a few days then planted in the ground according to the instructions and within 5 days I had a couple of very pretty blooms. Weeks later now and I counted 4 more blooms ready to go. Quality plants, quality service all the way! My sister is shopping here now as well.—————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I don’t know how you do it: When other companies have stopped shipping for the summer months you sent out five ‘Black Knight’ butterfly bushes right away. They arrived in a timely manner, were in good condition, and a few buds were ready to bloom when I planted them. I appreciate you!————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks so much for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Great looking and fresh, Will definitely do business again.———————————————We are glad you are pleased with your purchase! Beth | WBG 🙂

The butterfly bushes were delivered. They were packed smartly and securely. You’d be amazed how some people pack and ship. So, kudos to your team.
They are planted and flourishing. I am sure we will order again soon.
Thanks!—————————————Thanks for the great review! We are so glad you are pleased! Beth | WBG 🙂

Plants received first day they were on the truck this time. In great condition!—————————Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG

Very very well packaged…….its going to be beautiful…..my only complaint is when I took it out of the pot, the sod broke apart and I had to repack it and try to keep it together long enough to plant…Ive never had a plant do that…..I would buy from these guys again…. ——————— WBG Reply: Hi Eddie! Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Black Knight Butterfly Bush. Not sure why some dirt fell away from the root ball when you removed it from the pot…sometimes there might be a pocket of soil the roots haven’t filled yet or it have a rough ride during transit. In any event, we stand behind every plant we ship, and this plant should do fine. That said, please keep us posted if for some reason it doesn’t grow well.
Brent |Wilson Bros Gardens