Buddleia Miss Molly

Good golly, what a beautiful shade of red! The closest we can come to describing it is "sangria," but really it's an ever-changing blend of red, magenta, and burgundy, far and away the closest Butterfly Bush ever to the "true red" -- that elusive shade of fire-engine! -- that plantsman have been trying to grow for decades. Simply lovely, it stands out from all others like a beacon in the dark.

These bottlebrush blooms begin in midsummer and continue all the way to frost in the sunny garden, attracting every butterfly, bee, and hummingbird for miles around to come feast. Miss Molly is very free-flowering, so cut all the blooms you like for the vase. There will be more where those came from in no time!

Reaching 5 feet high and 5 to 6 feet wide, Miss Molly grows like crazy, and needs very little attention to continue flowering beautifully year after year. Cut it down to about 6 inches from the ground in late winter and early spring (this improves the branching, which in turn means more flowers) and let it go! There is no easier plant for the sunny garden.

Miss Molly was developed at North Carolina State University by Dennis Werner, who bred it from Buddleia Miss Ruby x Attraction. These two classic varieties assure you that Miss Molly has terrific vigor and flower power!

If you live in a warm climate, you will notice more red tones on the blooms; in cooler areas, they will be more purple. But either way, there's no way to lose with this new powerhouse. Add Miss Molly to the border this season, and watch all the visitors -- winged and human! -- she attracts next summer and fall! Highly recommended. Zones 5-9.