The darkest flower spikes in the butterfly bush world — deep blue-purple, honey-scented plumes that draw butterflies and hummingbirds from midsummer until frost.
'Black Knight' (Buddleia davidii 'Black Knight') is the classic for a reason: long, arching panicles packed in the richest violet-black of any butterfly bush, set against gray-green willow-like foliage. Each fragrant spike opens from summer into fall, and the fast-growing, fountain-shaped habit fills out to a graceful 4 to 6 feet in a single season. Plant it where you want movement and color — this is a magnet for pollinators and a reliable source of late-season fragrance and cut stems.
Why growers choose 'Black Knight'
The deepest color in the class. Its blue-purple flowers run nearly black at the base, a saturated tone few other cultivars match.
Months of bloom. Flowering carries from summer through fall, and removing spent spikes keeps fresh spikes coming right up to frost.
A true pollinator magnet. The nectar-rich, honey-scented panicles pull in butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds all season.
Fast and forgiving. A fast grower in full sun, it shrugs off heat and lean soil once established and reaches mature size quickly.
Deer tend to leave it alone. The aromatic foliage is generally passed over by browsing deer, a welcome trait in country and woodland-edge gardens.
Use 'Black Knight' as an informal flowering hedge or screen, anchor it at the back of a sunny mixed border, or give it pride of place in a dedicated pollinator or cutting garden where its color and fragrance do the most work.
