Buddleia. Progress Report. Freeze damage. Buddleia. 2.16.14

Buddleia globosa.  Freeze Killed Growth.

Buddleia Blueberry Cobbler.  Winter Appearance.

This is the first winter here for Buddleias.  They are between evergreen and deciduous.  I can't decide if the near-dead appearance is better or worse than bare twigs of deciduous shrubs.

The Buddleia globosa may well be fully dead.  I think it's the only Buddleia that looks truly dead.  I'll leave it in place until there is a chance for some regeneration.  I have a back-up  plant if it is dead.

The leaves of Blueberry Cobbler have a silvery appearance.  Depending on the sun, they look nice.  Other times they look sad.  I think it was like this last year, as were the other Buddleias.  When Spring came, they grew quickly.

Buddleias after the freeze

Buddleia globosa

Buddleia hybrids, Peach Cobbler and Blueberry Cobbler

Buddleias are partially hardy. I've read in cold winter climates, the tops are killed.  They grow back rapidly from the roots, so act as perennials.

Here they are usually a large woody shrub. 

I wondered with the big freeze, whether they would die to the ground.

Most of the large summer leaves were frost damaged.  Many were shed.  The smaller, axillary bud leaves still look OK.

I don't know if the complex hybrids have been tested in such a cold winter.  It will be interesting to see what they do.

Similar for Buddleia globosa.

Apiary garden. Shrubs for pollen and nectar.

Sterile buddleia hybrid "Miss Molly"

 I decided not to add more shrubs.  Then I needed something for my mood.  These are chosen as potential sources of nectar and pollen for honeybees and native pollinators.

The sterile buddleia hybrids are noninvasive and are available in nurseries in Portland OR and in Vancouver WA.  They replace the now illegal-Buddleia davidii varieties, which are invasive and rangy.

"Miss Molly" was bought in bloom.  I had it on my deck for a week.  The current flowers are about spent, so I planted it.  This, and the others, should bloom most of the summer and fall.  If we can believe the nursery ads.

"Miss Ruby" is the pollen parent of "Miss Molly".  Both are complex hybrids of multiple species of buddleia.  This plant was not in bud yet when I planted it last month, and is just beginning to bloom.

"Peach Cobbler" and "Blueberry Cobbler" are also sterile complex hybrids.  These plants look the same.  They were hold-overs from last year at the nursery.  I bought and planted them midwinter.  They have more than doubled in size.   Vigorous.  No flower buds yet.

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus "Victoria".  Not many honeybees on this.  The Ceanothus on the neighboring property was filled with honeybee activity, but now there aren't many.  More bumblebees and native bees.

Weigela florida "Lemon Ice"  A pale yellow weigela.  Impulse buy.  That, along with the ceanothus and Feijoa, were the result of my feeling ill.   Better now.  Fortunately there was room for all of these in the apiary yard and orchard.

Sterile buddleia hybrid "Miss Ruby"

Sterile bulldeia  hybrid "Peach Cobbler"

Ceanothus

Weigela "Lemon Ice"