Buddleia davidii 'Royal Red'

Royal Red Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii ‘Royal Red’ — commonly known as Royal Red Butterfly Bush — is a vigorous deciduous shrub valued for its deep reddish-magenta flower spikes (often described as wine-red to reddish purple) and strong fragrance. Blooming from mid-summer through fall, it delivers bold color and is highly attractive to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Key features
Width / spread: 6–8 ft (arching branches can make mature plants appear broader)
Height: 8–10 ft (commonly 8 ft; may reach 10–12 ft if left unpruned)
Flower color: Deep reddish-magenta to wine-red with orange eye
Bloom time: Mid-summer through fall
Foliage: Gray-green, lance-shaped leaves
Form: Upright, arching shrub
Life cycle: Deciduous shrub

Growing conditions
Sun: Full sun (required for best flowering and color)
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 shrub borders and perennial gardens
Butterfly and pollinator gardens
Informal hedges and screens
Large landscape plantings

Notes


One of the reddest classic butterfly bush cultivars (color deepens in full sun)



Blooms on new wood — prune hard in early spring to control size and boost flowering



Very fragrant flower panicles with long seasonal display



Fertile cultivar — may self-seed; restricted or discouraged in some regions

Plant type

Deciduous Shrub, Flowering Shrub

Height

8'

Width

8'

Hardiness zones

5–8

Sunlight

Full Sun

Growth rate

Fast

Bloom time

Summer

Leaf color

Green

Fall color

Green

Attracts

Butterflies

Soil

Loamy well-drained

Landscape use

Accent Plant, Foundation, Mass Planting

Shape

Mounded

Bark

Exfoliating

Fruit

Yes

Fragrant

Yes

Deer resistant

Yes

Drought tolerant

No