Inca butterfly bush (Buddleja incana)
Care, watering, light and tips for Inca butterfly bush on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Scrophulariaceae
- Difficulty: Easy to care for
- Watering: every 7 days
- Light: Partial shade
- Temperature: 10–30 °C
About Inca butterfly bush
Buddleja incana, commonly known as Quishuar or Andean Buddleja, is a shrub or small tree native to the South American Andes. It is characterized by its velvety leaves and tubular orange or yellow flowers arranged in dense panicles, attracting pollinators. It is ideal for temperate-cold climate gardens, as an ornamental plant or for reforestation of high-altitude areas.
Native range
Andean region of South America, from Colombia to northern Argentina
Care tips
It requires full sun exposure for abundant flowering and optimal development. Watering should be moderate, allowing the substrate to dry slightly between waterings, and more frequent during flowering. It prefers well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soils, with good organic matter content. Avoid waterlogging, as it is susceptible to root rot in overly moist soils.
How to save a dying Inca butterfly bush
- Warning signs
- Wilting or yellowing leaves, premature flower drop, stunted growth.
- First aid
- Check drainage; if potted, repot to a larger one or plant in ground if possible.
- What kills it
- Constant waterlogging or lack of root space.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if you act quickly to correct watering and space. It's a resilient species.