Butterfly Bushes

Buddleia davidii (Butterfly Bush) was introduced to the United Kingdom in the late 19th century to enhance British gardens with their abundant blooms, sweet fragrance, and ability to attract butterflies. Now considered a pest, Buddleia jumped garden fences and began altering the landscape, flourishing in unexpected places like brownfields and aging sandstone façades. Butterfly Bushes originate from the mountainous regions of central and western China. Their small, light seeds spread via wind and grow in thickets along these native slopes. In the U.K., and Glasgow specifically, they similarly seek higher ground, growing on rooftops and walls. These persistent shrubs were one of the first things I noticed about the city upon arriving here ­— an unintentional architectural motif that wove itself into the fabric of urban grit and 19th century sandstone. A foreigner myself, I identified with them for their tenacity to make this place their new home. . 

Butterfly Bushes have a habit of growing along railway lines, jumping from one town to another. Maps of their progress northward across the U.K. show a rapid, upwardly mobile spread that appears to defy gravity. Try to uproot one, and you’ll discover that their woody stems are powerful anchors, tethering them to their new homes. In July, Glasgow explodes with vibrant purple blooms, and the air smells of honey. The silvery underbelly of their leaves catch the eye as they flutter in the same wind that carries their seeds to new territories. It’s difficult to imagine the city without them.