Buddleja utahensis Coville

Growth Form

Buddleja utahensis is a compact, dwarf dioecious shrub that grows 0.3 to 1.0 meters tall. Its bark is greyish and rimose, and the plant is defined by its persistent bare twigs.

Branch Characteristics

Younger branches are terete, and carry subsessile leaves that range in shape from linear to oblong.

Leaf Dimensions

The leaves measure 1.5–3.5 cm long and 0.3–0.5 cm wide, with rounded apexes and attenuate bases.

Leaf Surface

Both leaf surfaces are covered in dense short tomentum, which gives the plant an overall silver-grey appearance.

Inflorescence Structure

The inflorescences are 4–12 cm long, arranged as verticels (vertical stacks) formed from 3–7 pairs of flower heads, and subtended by leafy bracts.

Flower Characteristics

Each verticel measures 0.5–1.13 cm in diameter and holds 15–30 pale yellow flowers, with corollas 4–5 mm long.

Fruit and Seeds

The plant produces capsules up to 2.5 mm long, containing numerous globose seeds that reach up to 0.4 mm in diameter.

Cultivation Rarity

Buddleja utahensis is very rare in cultivation.

Cultivation Requirements

It is difficult to grow in temperate regions, requiring very freely draining soil and infrequent watering.

Hardiness

It is hardy to USDA zone 8.