Summary
Latin Name
- Buddleja davidii
What’s the problem?
- Causes damage to hard surfaces
- Invasive
- Rapid growth/spread
- Difficult to eradicate seed bank – can take years
- Erosion of riverbanks
- Impedes growth of other species
- 3 million seeds per annum
- Will colonise a new area within two years of seeding
What are the legal implications?
- There are currently no legal obligations
Buddleja or buddleia?
The naming of Buddleja can cause some perplexity due to the different spelling. It is thought that this is because there is some confusion over the botanic name. The spelling of ‘Buddle’ in botanical Latin would be ‘Buddleia’. However, the Botanist Linnaeus wrote it down as ‘Buddelja’. Today the spelling ‘Buddleja’ seems to be the preferred option.
Control method
Usually, the most effective method of treatment is to directly inject/plug herbicide into the plant. Care must be taken when treating plants that are emerging from existing masonry and structures.