Buddleia
Buddleia gets everywhere, easily spreading by seed and growing in hard landscaping, gutters and walls.
Buddleia gets everywhere, easily spreading by seed and growing in hard landscaping, gutters and walls.
Buddleia, often called butterfly bush, has long been a garden favourite, easy to look after, fast growing and attractive to butterflies - what's not to like?! The problem with this particular variety is its ability to spread via seed, and grow from the smallest cracks. You will often see it growing in gutters, on chimneys, in walls and out of pavements.
Left to grow in unsuitable locations, buddleia will quickly cause damage to buildings and structures, owing to its fast growing woody stems, and rapidly expanding root system. Buddleia also quickly outcompetes other vegetation, meaning over time, huge areas can be completely taken over.
Take a look at the images below.
How to get rid of Buddleia
Buddleia although very invasive can easily be controlled via herbicide treatment or physically removed.
Buddleia often just requires one application of chemical in the mid summer period to eradicate it. However, a monitoring visit should be made in the following year to eradicate any small remaining plants or any new seed growth that occurs.
If Buddleja/Buddleia needs to be removed immediately it can be excavated with the surrounding soils fully removing all seeds and plant material. This infested soil is then sent away to a licensed landfill allowing the area from which it was removed to immediately be developed.
