SPECIALIST BUDDLeiA CONTROL SERVICES

OUR SPECIALIST CONTROL SERVICES WILL TREAT OR ERADICATE THIS SPECIES. TO FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE BUDDLEIA USE OUR FREE ID TOOL OR BOOK A SURVEY

TREATMENT & REMOVAL

Buddleia can be controlled by applications of herbicides in a planned treatment programme. The herbicide can either be sprayed or injected into the stem, however for complete eradication excavation is the only effective way to get rid of Buddleia roots.

To find out the best way to remove Buddleia and the best time of year to have treatment or excavation carried out get in touch. Read more on how to remove Buddleia here.

WHY IS BUDDLEIA A PROBLEM?

Buddleia seeds are small and light, which makes them ideal for being carried in the air or on water, often resulting in them being lodged into walls or infrastructure. This is when you’ll see Buddleia plants growing out of buildings or roofs, making it much more difficult to remove. Buddleia will quickly take over amenity spaces or access areas, causing problems for commercial properties, homeowners and national networks.

Can cause structural damage when it gets a foothold in walls, pavements, chimneys etc. Listed and historic buildings are particularly under threat, and it is estimated the cost of damage to properties, both historical and private, currently in the UK is around £1m. Further to this, it also causes significant problems for the management of the rail network.

ABOUT BUDDLEIA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Buddleja davidii
ORIGIN: China

Buddleia is a fast-growing, medium to large perennial shrub with long arching branches. The lilac/purple and sometimes white flowers occur in dense pyramidal-shaped panicles, which produce large quantities of nectar which attract bees and other insects. The leaves are deep green, long and wider in the middle, with a white velvety surface underneath.

• Grows up to 15ft tall.
• Showy flower spikes grow at the branch ends, 4 – 10 inches long.
• Purple, pink or white flowers typically with orange centres.
• Young stems are green, older stems have peeling, grey-brown bark.
• Leaves are long and narrow and arranged oppositely on the branches.
• Flowers bloom between June and October.

HABITAT

Has become widely naturalised and colonises disturbed ground on railway lines, quarries, roadsides and waste ground, also commonly seen growing from cracks in buildings and other structures such as walls. Often seen on the grounds of commercial buildings or property where it has been left to grow.

IMPACT: MEDIUM

Can out-compete native species if left to grow uncontrolled, however it is a food source for insects and the birds that feed on them.

TOXICITY: ZERO

Buddleia presents no physical danger to either humans or animals.