Royal Red Butterfly Bush
Buddleia davidii 'Royal Red'
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Royal Red Butterfly Bush - #1 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
From | To | S&H |
---|---|---|
$0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
$20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
$50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
$70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
$100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
$130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
$150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
#1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
#3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
#6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
#7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Royal Red Butterfly Bush highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun
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Moisture
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Soil
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Growth RateFast
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Flower Color
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Pollinator Friendly
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Fragrant
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Pruning Time
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Bloom PeriodSummer, Fall

Growing Zones 5-9
The incredible jewel-tone blooms of the Royal Red Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii 'Royal Red') are not quite a true red color, but purple-red that is radiant in the sun! The flowers are borne at the end of every graceful branch on this beautiful upright-growing shrub!
The Royal Red Butterfly Bush is a vigorous growing shrub that boasts nectar-rich blooms that are an absolute butterfly magnet! It will mature about 4-6 feet in height with an equal spread, often growing from the roots to full size each year in cold climates of USDA planting zones 5 to 9. Snip the blooms for bouquets or deadhead them as they fade for repeat blooms until frost!
With a name like Butterfly Bush, you expect a plant to be attractive to butterflies. In fact, it's more than attractive, it's a magnet for all the bees, beneficial insects, Hummingbirds, and butterflies that pass through your garden seeking nectar! The midday sun diffuses the honey scent into the air and you'll even love the aromatic foliage too! The airy, elegant branching provides fine texture to your landscape with an easy-care nature to go with it!
Planting and Application:
Plant the Royal Red Butterfly Bush near a path or patio and the shrub will provide a delightful fragrance for you, too. Give sun gardens the royal touch as prominent specimens and focal points, mixing and matching with perennials, Roses, and other flowering shrubs beautifully!
The airy branching is friendly screening and property hedges while being tough enough for Rock Gardens! Plant rows to act as graceful backdrops throughout the sun garden, Cut flower garden, and Cottage border!
Every garden becomes a Pollinator Garden with the addition of a Butterfly Bush! Try pairing Royal Red with Purple Emperor or Black Knight Butterfly Bushes for a colorful garden worthy of a King or Queen!
- Saturated Reddish-Purple Flower Spikes
- Blooms Summer Through Fall!
- Attracts Butterflies & Hummingbirds
- Rounded Mounds Of Aromatic Foliage
- Full-Sun Loving Garden Or Container Plant, Mass Plantings & Specimens!
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Generally pest-free, Butterfly Bushes are wonderfully easy to grow! They need the full sun, well-drained soil, and steady water during their first year, but once established, Buddleja (as they can be spelled) are low-water usage but do appreciate supplemental moisture during drought and the summer months to keep the flowers returning until frost. Provide a 3-4 inch deep layer of arborist mulch to support your shrub's root system. This deciduous plant is drought tolerant and not on any deer's list of favorite snacks.
Deadheading keeps the shrub tidier and keeps them reblooming all season! Cut these plants back to the ground in early spring when grown in colder climates because these act more like an herbaceous perennial. For plants grown in warm growing zones, these are woody shrubs that only need an early spring trim will help ensure the best performance and best flowers. Royal Red is hardy, with no significant disease or insect issues.
- Full Sun Shrub/Perennial
- Well-Drained Soil
- Moderate Moisture & Fertility
- Prune Early Spring
- No Deadheading Required
Roll out the red carpet with the Royal Red Butterfly Bush from Nature Hills! You and your pollinators will feel like nobility with the ravishing reddish blooms of this fantastic flowering shrub!