Kingdom Plantae Species B. nivea Order Lamiales | Family Scrophulariaceae Genus Butterfly bush | |
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Subspecies Buddleja nivea var. yunnanensis Similar Butterfly bush, Buddleja nivea, Buddleja forrestii, Buddleja macrostachya, Buddleja fallowiana | ||
Buddleja nivea var. yunnanensis is a vigorous shrub endemic to the province of Yunnan in China, where it was discovered by Wilson. It was conferred varietal status by Alfred Rehder and Wilson in 1913, but later sunk as simply Buddleja nivea by Leeuwenberg
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Description
The distinction of var. yunnanensis was largely a matter of scale; its leaves and inflorescences all larger than the type. The shrub can rapidly achieve a height of 4 metres (13 ft) in cultivation, and like the type its young growth is covered by a white indumentum. The ovate-lanceolate leaves are of great size, 50 centimetres (20 in) long, but less felted than B. nivea.
Cultivation
The plant can still be found under its old varietal name in specialist collections in the UK. A large specimen is grown as part of the NCCPG National Collection held by Longstock Park Nursery near Stockbridge, Hampshire.