Buddleia Davidii 'Black Knight'

Black Knight Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii ‘Black Knight’ — commonly known as Black Knight Butterfly Bush — is a classic, vigorous deciduous butterfly bush prized for its very dark purple-violet flower spikes, among the deepest colors available in Buddleia. The long, fragrant blooms appear from mid-summer through fall and are highly attractive to butterflies and other pollinators.

Key features
Width / spread: 6–10 ft
Height: 8–12 ft (can be kept smaller with annual pruning)
Flower color: Deep purple-violet (nearly black in bud) with orange eye
Bloom time: Mid-summer to fall
Foliage: Gray-green, lance-shaped leaves
Form: Upright, arching shrub
Life cycle: Deciduous shrub

Growing conditions
Sun: Full sun (required for best flowering)
Soil: Well-drained; average to lean soils preferred
Water: Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established
Hardiness:



Zone Low: 5b



Zone High: 9a



Landscape use
Specimen shrub
Back of perennial or shrub borders
Butterfly and pollinator gardens
Screens and informal hedges
Large landscape plantings

Notes
Produces some of the darkest flowers of any butterfly bush
Blooms on new wood — cut back hard in early spring
Very fast growing in warm climates
Highly attractive to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds
Fertile cultivar — may self-seed; restricted or discouraged in some regions

Plant type

Deciduous Shrub, Flowering Shrub

Height

6-8'

Width

4-6'

Hardiness zones

5–9

Sunlight

Full Sun

Growth rate

Fast

Bloom time

Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall, Late Summer

Attracts

Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Soil

Clay, Loamy, Moist well-drained

Landscape use

Specimen

Shape

Spreading

Fruit

Yes

Fragrant

Yes

Deer resistant

Yes

Drought tolerant

Yes