Buddley David Royal Red

Buddleya David Royal Red is a perennial shrub often used to decorate squares and flower beds in city parks. The plant is no less popular in private ownership.

The Royal Red variety is especially valued for its extended flowering, thanks to which the decorative appearance of the shrub is preserved until the first frost. In addition, David’s Royal Red buddleia has earned favorable reviews from gardeners for its ease of shaping.

History of variety breeding

Buddleya David Royal Red is a rather old variety originally from the USA. The originator of this variety is A. Lukal, who bred it in 1942. In 1997, the shrub was ranked 9th out of 57 varieties of the taxon that existed at that time.

Description Buddleia Royal Red

Buddleja David Royal Red (buddleja dav royal red) is a tall shrub with a spreading crown. The height of the plant is on average 2-2,5 m, the diameter reaches 3 m.

The leaves of David’s buddleia of the Royal Red variety are oval in shape, narrowed towards the end, which can be seen in the photo. The leaf plate has a dark green color, the leaves are pubescent below. The shoots are quite thin, green, drooping from the weight of heavy inflorescences.

The variety blooms profusely, forming long spike-shaped inflorescences – from 25 to 40 cm. The flowers are purple-red, small. A distinctive feature of the Royal Red variety is a rich honey aroma that attracts a large number of butterflies. Flowering begins in July and continues until the end of September – beginning of October.

Frost resistance, drought resistance

Buddleya David of the Royal Red variety is a light-loving plant and sensitive to dampness, and therefore not suitable for cultivation in the Northern regions of the country. In winter, buddleia shoots can freeze over, however, with the onset of spring, the shrub is restored if the damage was minor. Without shelter, the Royal Red variety winters at temperatures from -15 ° C to -17 ° C, which is possible only in the south of Our Country. On the territory of the middle lane, the shrub must be insulated, paying special attention to the base of the plant.

Disease and pest resistance

Buddleya Davila Royal Red attracts almost no insects, except for butterflies, which do not harm the plant. The only exception is aphids, which occasionally infest gardens. In the event of an invasion of this pest, the buddley is sprayed with insecticides.

Of the diseases, gray rot is the most dangerous for shrubs.

Methods of reproduction

There are 2 main ways to propagate Royal Red buddleia: growing a shrub from seeds and harvesting cuttings. Most often, when breeding David’s buddleys, they resort to the method of cuttings.

The algorithm for harvesting cuttings is as follows:

1. In the middle of summer, buddleia is examined and 3-4 young branches are cut.
2. These shoots are cleaned – the leaves are removed from the bottom.
3. Then the cuttings are dipped into the solution for several hours with the addition of any growth stimulant.
4. When the planting material dries out a little, it is added dropwise to the previously loosened soil and watered.
5. After that, the cuttings are covered with plastic wrap.
6. When the seedlings form a full-fledged root system, they can be transplanted to a permanent place.

From seedlings, it is somewhat more difficult to grow a buddley of David of the Royal Red variety. Sowing seeds occurs according to the following scheme:

1. In March, the seeds are sown in separate containers – special containers for seedlings or plastic cups. The soil must be moist. You can use a pre-moistened peat mixture for planting buddleia seeds.
2. Then the containers are covered with glass or plastic wrap.
3. For 2-3 weeks, the seedlings are cleaned in a dry, warm place for germination.
4. When the first sprouts appear, the containers are moved to a room with a lower temperature and ventilated regularly. To do this, they are taken outside for a while.
5. Water the seedlings regularly as they grow.
6. Once the buddleia seedlings are strong and form a developed root system, they can be transplanted into open ground or a spacious container.

Planting and caring for buddley David Royal Red

In order for the buddleia of David of the Royal Red variety to be able to fully reveal its decorative qualities, it is necessary to provide it with the best conditions for development. In particular, you should responsibly approach the choice of a site for planting shrubs:

1. Royal Red Buddley is a heat-loving horticultural crop that blooms intensively only with enough light. Lack of light inhibits the growth of shrubs.
2. The Royal Red variety is sensitive to drafts. It is recommended to plant buddley where the plant will be protected from strong winds: near garden buildings, residential buildings and fences, always on the illuminated side.
3. Royal Red does not impose special requirements on the composition of the soil of buddleia, however, loose, moderately moist soil, of low or neutral acidity, is best suited for planting shrubs.

In the open ground, David’s buddleia of the Royal Red variety is planted with the onset of consistently warm weather, when the threat of return frosts has passed. Temperatures below 0°C are detrimental to the plant.

The landing procedure is as follows:

1. In a pre-prepared area, pits are dug 40 cm deep and 45-50 cm in diameter. The distance between the planting pits should be at least 1,5 m. invade the space of a neighboring shrub, thereby interfering with its development.
2. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the landing pit: broken brick, gravel, clay shards. The layer thickness must be at least 10 cm.
3. Pour the soil mixture over the drainage from the top fertile soil layer from the site, compost and any mineral fertilizer. Buddleia also responds well to fertilizing with phosphorus and potassium, which can be diluted with wood ash.
4. Planting material is buried so that the first 2 buds go underground.
5. The root system of the seedling is sprinkled with earth and the near-stem circle is lightly tamped.
6. Then the buddley is moderately watered and mulched.

Aftercare

Buddleya David of the Royal Red variety responds well to regular watering, however, it is impossible to fill the shrub. Excess moisture in the soil provokes rotting of the roots and the development of gray rot. The recommended water consumption per plant is 1-1,5 buckets. Buddleia is watered once every 1-2 weeks, however, one should be guided by weather conditions. If the summer turned out to be hot and dry, the frequency of watering is increased.

In early spring, Royal Red’s buddley David is fed primarily with nitrogen, which helps the plant recover after winter. Shortly before the start of flowering, phosphorus and potash fertilizers are added to the soil, which are necessary for buddley to form flowers. Also, the Royal Red variety responds well to organic fertilizer: wood ash, humus, etc.

Pruning of David’s buddley Royal Red is obligatory. It is especially important to carry out this procedure in the first year after planting. The main branches are cut in the last days of March by almost ½ of the total length. Such intensive pruning stimulates active shoot formation from the sides of the shrub, due to which the buddleia will take on a lush appearance.

Preparation for winter

Buddleya David varieties Royal Red is not a frost-resistant species. The plant is sensitive to cold snaps and freezes at temperatures below -17°C. Without shelter, shrubs can only be grown in southern Our Country.

In order for the Royal Red buddleia not to freeze in winter when grown in the middle lane, the shrub must be insulated. First, the bush is moderately pruned. Then a support structure is installed above it, on which a waterproof fabric is pulled. Inside, dry grass or fallen leaves are placed around the trunk, which will provide Royal Red buddley with a favorable microclimate during the winter months. In addition, such a shelter will prevent root rot.

For more information on how to properly prepare a buddley for winter, you can learn from the video below:

Control of diseases and pests

Buddleia David Royal Red is extremely rare, but if it does happen, then the causative agent of the disease is usually a fungus. Among fungal diseases, the greatest danger to shrubs is gray rot, the development of which provokes stagnation of moisture in the soil. Spraying the bush with any fungicide will help return the plant to a healthy appearance.

The following pests can be distinguished from insects:

• whitefly;
• spider mite;
• aphid.

It will not be difficult to get rid of them – it is enough to spray the bushes affected by pests with insecticides.

The use of buddley in landscape design

In landscape design, Royal Red buddleia is used both as part of group compositions and in solitary plantings. The shrub looks especially advantageous surrounded by undersized garden crops. Small groups can also be planted in the center of the lawn, placing them as close to each other as possible. So, the landscape composition will imitate a plant fountain – this effect is achieved due to the drooping branches of the buddleia.

A spectacular decoration of the site will be a David Royal Red buddley hedge. In regions with a cold climate, the shrub can be planted in a container to decorate a terrace or balcony. Also on private property, the Royal Red variety is often used as a disguise for unsightly places – old pipes, poles, etc.

Conclusion

Buddleya David Royal Red is a relatively unpretentious shrub that even a novice gardener can grow. The only weakness of the variety is the low resistance to frost, which is why it is necessary to warm the plant for the winter. Otherwise, the Royal Red variety is easy to care for and unattractive to pests.

Reviews of buddley David Royal Red