Woolly Butterfly Bush

Buddleja marrubifolia

Light

Water

Low water once established. Water deeply, then let soil dry between irrigations; occasional supplemental summer watering improves appearance and flowering. Water more regularly during establishment.

Size

3-5 ft tall × 3-5 ft wide

Habit

Rounded shrub

Toxicity

Not Established

Description

Woolly butterfly bush (Buddleja marrubiifolia) is a compact desert shrub with fuzzy silver-gray leaves and small, round orange flower clusters, well suited to Phoenix landscapes.

Bloom Time

Spring through fall

Deciduous / Evergreen

Evergreen

Special Features

Attracts Bees / Pollinators, Attracts Butterflies, Drought Tolerant, Heat Tolerant

Growth Rate

Slow to moderate

Growth Habit

Rounded shrub

Mature Size

3-5 ft tall × 3-5 ft wide

Flower Color

Orange to yellow

Foliage Color

Silver-white

Landscape Use

Border / Bed, Desert / Xeriscape, Hedge / Screen, Pollinator / Wildlife Garden, Specimen / Accent

Garden Style

Desert / Xeriscape, Hedge / Formal, Pollinator / Wildlife

Soil

Alkaline Tolerant, Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained

Companion Plants

Blackfoot daisy, Brittlebush, Desert marigold, Red yucca, Santa Rita prickly pear, Texas sage

Toxicity

Not Established

Not established — verify

Care Instructions

Light: Full sun; tolerates light afternoon shade in the hottest locations.

Water: Low water once established. Water deeply, then let soil dry between irrigations; occasional supplemental summer watering improves appearance and flowering. Water more regularly during establishment.

Soil: Very well-drained sandy, gravelly, or rocky soil; tolerates alkaline soils. Avoid persistently wet soil.

Mature size: About 4–5 feet tall and 4–5 feet wide.

Bloom: Spring through fall, with flowering influenced by warmth and available moisture.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen to semi-evergreen in Phoenix; may lose leaves during cold spells or prolonged drought.

Growth rate: Slow to moderate, depending on irrigation and growing conditions.