Buddleja colvilei
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Buddleja
Species:
B. colvilei
Binomial name
Buddleja colvilei

Buddleja colvilei is endemic to the eastern Himalaya; discovered by Hooker in 1849, he declared it 'the handsomest of all Himalayan shrubs.'[1] In 1896 the species was awarded the RHS First Class Certificate (FCC),[2] given to plants 'of outstanding excellence for exhibition'.[3]

Description

B. colvilei is a deciduous large shrub or small tree which can grow > 13 m, often single stemmed. The flowers are arranged in drooping panicles, 1520 cm long by > 8 cm wide, rose pink to crimson, but often white within the corolla tube. The flowers are among the largest of any in the genus, and appear in June. The leaves are < 25 cm long, narrow, shallowly-toothed, and tapered at either end.[1] This species has a high degree of polyploidy with a correspondingly high chromosome number of 2n = 152456 (8x24x).[4]

Cultivation

The shrub is not entirely hardy in the UK, and can only be reliably grown outdoors along the Atlantic coast.[1] Hardiness: United States Department of Agriculture zones 89.[5]

Cultivars

  • Buddleja colvilei 'Kewensis', distinguished by its dark red flowers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bean, W. J. (1914). Trees and shrubs hardy in the British Isles. 7th Ed. 1950, Vol. 1, p. 320.
  2. Hillier & Sons. (1990). Hillier's Manual of Trees & Shrubs, 5th ed.. p. 47. David & Charles, Newton Abbot. ISBN 0-7153-67447
  3. Royal Horticultural Society, (2005). RHS Plant Finder 2005-2006, Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 1-4053-0736-6
  4. Chen, G, Sun, W-B, & Sun, H. (2007). Ploidy variation in Buddleja L. (Buddlejaceae) in the Sino - Himalayan region and its biogeographical implications. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 2007, 154, 305 312. The Linnean Society of London.
  5. Stuart, D. D. (2006). Buddlejas. RHS Plant Guide. Timber Press, Oregon. ISBN 978-0-88192-688-0
  • Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. (1979) The Loganiaceae of Africa XVIII Buddleja L. II, Revision of the African & Asiatic species. H. Veenman & Zonen, Wageningen, Nederland.
  • Phillips, R. & Rix, M. (1989). Shrubs, Pan Books, London.
  • Li, P. T. & Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. (1996). Loganiaceae, in Wu, Z. & Raven, P. (eds) Flora of China, Vol. 15. Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, USA. ISBN 978-0915279371 online at www.efloras.org
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