buddleia

See also: Buddleia

English

Buddleja davidii

Etymology

From translingual Buddleja, after English naturalist Adam Buddle (died 1715).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbʌdlɪ.ə/

Noun

buddleia (plural buddleias)

1. A tree or shrub of the genus Buddleja, especially Buddleja davidii, a large ornamental shrub whose lilac flowers attract butterflies.
   • 1917, Henry Handel Richardson, Australia Felix:

     At the foot of the garden, behind a clump of gooseberry-bushes, stood an arbour formed of a yellow buddleia.

   • 2024 November 13, Paul Bigland, “Much to admire... but pockets of neglect”, in RAIL, number 1022, page 49:

     But there is one fly in the ointment, which is only too evident at Queen Street and Central... buddleia. […] It became a popular garden plant in the 20th century, when a Chinese variant (Buddleia Davidii ^[sic]) was introduced. That's when the trouble started. The plant has spread like wildfire since. Its fast-growing invasive nature and survivability is a huge problem for the railways, as (left alone) it can cause serious, expensive damage to structures, block drivers sightlines, or pose a risk to lineside workers.

Synonyms

• butterfly bush

Translations

tree of shrub of the genus Buddleja

• Catalan: budleia f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 醉魚草屬 / 醉鱼草属

• Dutch: vlinderstruik (nl)
• Finnish: syrikkä (fi)
• French: buddleia (fr) m
• German: Sommerflieder f
• Quechua: qulli

References

• “buddleia”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Anagrams

• audibled