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Miss Pearl Buddleja

Buddleja (bud-LEE-uh mis PU-rl)

Family: Scrophulariaceae Unknown Shrub (3-15 ft)

Miss Pearl butterfly bush is a hybrid cultivar of 'Miss Molly' and 'Ice Chip' and was developed at North Carolina State University by Dr. Dennis Werner and was patented in 2017 (PP#28553). It is a member of the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae). It has a compact habit, dense green foliage, and ruffled white flowers on upright spikes. This plant prefers a sunny location and well-drained soil for the best performance. It is drought-tolerant once established, easy to grow, and no deadheading is necessary. 'Miss Pearl' may die back to the ground in colder zones, but will resume growth from the crown the following spring. In regions where above-ground shoots survive over winter, the plants may require occasional moderate pruning in spring to maintain the desired compact shape. 'Miss Pearl' is considered sterile, produces nectar, but no pollen. The shrub grows up to 4 to 5 feet tall and equally as wide. The leaves are medium green on the upper surface and silver-gray on the underside. It boasts crisp, clean, pure white, slightly ruffled flowers that bloom on new wood, providing a long season of blooms. Use this shrub as a border planting, specimen, or hedge in a drought-tolerant, pollinator, or cottage garden. Insect, Disease, and Other Plant Problems : No significant insect pests or diseases. Spider mites can become a problem during drought. Nematodes are an occasional pest problem. More information on Buddleja .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 55 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

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 with Buddleja Lo & Behold® 'Ice Chip'
Fills a similar niche Buddleja Lo & Behold® 'Blue Chip' Buddleja Lo & Behold® 'Pink Micro Chip' Buddleja 'Miss Violet'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
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; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | 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
Rapid
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
Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The leaves are opposite, simple, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 4 to 6 inches long, and green. The undersides may be pubescent.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The flowers are crisp, clean, tubular white, and ruffled. They are arranged on a panicle and are produced on new wood during summer into fall.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruit is a capsule. It has low fertility and produces few seeds.
Stem detail
Plants are very dense with abundant lateral branching.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
hybrid from Sandhills Research Center, Jackson Springs NC
Wildlife value
Highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Hummingbirds; Pollinators
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Attracts Pollinators; Easy to Grow; Screening
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Lawn; Meadow; Naturalized Area; Patio; Walkways
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Cottage Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; Nighttime Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Accent; Border; Foundation Planting; Hedge; Mass Planting; Screen/Privacy; Specimen
Garden tags
#showy flowers #cottage garden #long bloom time #rabbit resistant #heat tolerant #deciduous shrub #deer resistant #fragrant flowers #pollinator plant #semi-dwarf #semi-upright form #thriller #butterfly friendly #easy to grow #drought tolerant #border planting #bee friendly #container plant #repeat flowering #dense growth #moth friendly #hedge #wildlife friendly #nci #compact #poor soil tolerant
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Deer; Drought; Heat; Rabbits

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.