Weeping Mary

May 10, 2008 at 5:09 pm (Flowers, Gardening, Plants, Shrub)
Tags: Flowers, Gardening, Plants, Shrubs

This copyrighted post, “Weeping Mary” was written for my WordPress blog called Always Growing by Jan in Covington, Louisiana 

 

Buddleia Lindleyana is an old-fashioned butterfly bush that was imported from China in the 1800’s.  It is also called Weeping Buddleia.  One common name is Weeping Mary.  This is a semi-evergreen buddleia and is not cut to the ground each year.  It makes a narrow shrub about six feet tall that has very graceful, weeping growth.

 

 

I first saw this plant in a school garden, and later found a small one to plant in my own garden.  One of the things I like about this particular buddleia is the individual little flowers which are violet red on the inside and purple on the outside.  The individual flowers form about a twelve inch cluster.  The flowers continue to open down the ever lengthing raceme which can grow to 24 inches.  Since it blooms on new growth, trimming the spent flower clusters results in more blossoms.

 

 

This drought tolerant shrub blooms on new growth from early spring through late fall.  It attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.  I have read where it is supposed to be hardy to zone 7 and some sources say zone 5.  Other nice features of this buddleia is its cinnamon colored shedding bark, and foliage which is a semi-glossy, dark green.  In searching for this particular plant, I have read that it is supposed to sucker somewhat, but I have not had a problem with that.

 

I have found this to be a great plant for the garden because it is drought tolerant, attacts wildlife, and blooms for a very long time.

 

 

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