Buddleja saligna Willd.

Taxonomic Naming and Growth Form

Buddleja saligna Willd. is an evergreen shrub or small tree that grows less than 15 meters tall, with a trunk up to 40 centimeters in diameter. It is very similar in appearance to plants in the Salix and Olea genera.

Bark Characteristics

As it ages, its bark develops deep longitudinal furrows.

Branchlet Morphology

Its branchlets have a quadrangular cross-section and are winged.

Leaf Shape and Arrangement

The leaves are opposite, subcoriaceous, and shaped from narrowly elliptic to linear.

Leaf Size Range

They vary greatly in size, ranging from 1.2 to 15 centimeters long and 0.2 to 3 centimeters wide.

Leaf Surface Features

The upper leaf surface is medium to dark green, glabrous, and smooth, while the underside is covered in pale stellate hairs.

Flower Scent and Coloration

The flowers carry a honey scent and are cream or white, occasionally with a reddish-orange throat.

Flowering Period and Inflorescence

They bloom in spring and summer, arranged in large terminal flower heads that measure up to 12 cm by 12 cm.

Corolla Size

Individual corollas are 4 millimeters long.

Timber Properties

The dense timber of Buddleja saligna has a specific gravity of 0.98 and is of exceptionally high quality, though it rarely grows large enough to produce timber sized for furniture.

Cultivation Hardiness

In cultivation, Buddleja saligna is hardy and frost-resistant.

Cultivation Growth Requirements

It is notably drought-tolerant and grows easily in well-drained soil.

Hardiness Rating

Its recommended hardiness rating is USDA zone 9.

Cultivated Specimen Location

In the United Kingdom, a specimen of Buddleja saligna is held in the NCCPG national collection of Buddleja, cultivated at Longstock Park Nursery near Stockbridge, Hampshire.