Buddleja ' Miss Molly' is a hybrid butterfly bush cultivar of Buddleja 'Miss Ruby' and Buddleja davidii 'Attraction' and was developed at North Carolina State University by Dr. Dennis Werner. It is a medium-sized deciduous shrub with a mounding habit that grows up to 4-5 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide. Its flowers are fragrant, blooming from mid-summer to late fall with a dark, sangria red or magenta red color. The flower color of this shrub is the closest to red than any other butterfly bush. 'Miss Molly' will bloom the first year after planting and is low maintenance and easy to grow. It tolerates different soil types, although clay soils will benefit from being amended with compost. This shrub prefers a sunny location and medium moist, well-drained soil. Buddlejas do not tolerate soggy wet soils or poor drainage and are drought-tolerant once established. This plant is hardy in zones 5a to 9b. In hardiness zones 5 to 6, this plant may die back to the ground in winter and is sometimes grown as a herbaceous perennial. These shrubs will be more vigorous and produce better flowering if pruned back close to the ground in late winter. Since it blooms on new wood, it should not be pruned any later than early spring. Reproduction of this shrub is prohibited, and it is protected by the Plant Patent Act by patent number PP23425. 'Miss Molly' is semi-compact and has a moderate growth rate. The foliage is green to silvery green, lanceolate with a wrinkled texture and pointed tips. Each flower is small, tubular-shaped, magenta red, and they are densely packed and arranged in a 4-inch long, terminal, bottlebrush-shaped panicles. The most common flower shade is a wine red or sangria, but it changes throughout the season with deeper reds in warmer regions and more purple shades in cooler climates. 'Miss Molly's' eye-watching flower color is a perfect planting for mixed borders, perennial gardens, or wildflower gardens. It will attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Exhibits no serious insect or disease problems. More information on Buddleja .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Often confused withBuddleja davidii 'Attraction'Buddleja 'Miss Ruby'
Fills a similar nicheBuddleja Lo & Behold® 'Blue Chip Jr.'Buddleja 'Miss Pearl'Buddleja 'Miss Ruby'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Erect; Mounding; Multi-stemmed
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Denticulate; Entire
Leaf feel
Velvety
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The leaves are green to silvery green with a wrinkled texture and lanceolate-shaped with pointed tips.
Flower color
Pink; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Each flower is small, magenta colored, and tubular. They are densely arranged into a 4-inch long terminal panicle with a bottlebrush appearance.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
It is considered sterile, producing less than 2% viable seeds.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Flowers attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Hummingbirds; Pollinators
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Attracts Pollinators; Colorful; Easy to Grow; Fragrance
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Meadow; Naturalized Area; Patio; Small Space; Walkways