Lilac that connects a palette
The shade works naturally with pink, blue, silver and white.
Buddleja Butterfly Candy® 'Little Lila' 15cm
Normal price
€10,00
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The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Buddleja davidii Butterfly Candy® Little Lila (‘Botex 004’ PBR)
The sweet treat in your garden 🦋
- Lilac flower panicles
- Dwarf rounded habit
- Light sweet fragrance
- KVBC Bronze award 2021
Buddleja davidii Butterfly Candy® Little Lila (‘Botex 004’ PBR) fills its shoot tips with lilac flowers gathered into slender, elongated panicles. Grey-green foliage keeps the palette soft and allows the flowering colour to stand out. The stems open outwards to form a compact, vase-shaped canopy. Fragrance and visiting butterflies bring movement and life to this bright summer display, extending its appeal beyond colour alone.
At the front of a border or in an outdoor pot, lilac links pink flowers, silver leaves and cool blue shades. The low canopy brings the flower heads into view from a nearby seat, while a short repetition of plants creates a continuous line of summer colour.
The cultivar ‘Botex 004’ / Butterfly Candy® Little Lila received a KVBC Bronze award in the 2021 Summer Challenge.
What makes it special
Lilac panicles on a low, branching crown bring colour close to eye level and visiting butterflies.
A small pollinator magnet
Scented, nectar-rich panicles bring movement to compact outdoor spaces.
Full and balanced
Well-branched stems open outwards from the base and carry the flower panicles above the foliage, producing a full, compact outline.
Why you will love it: Award-winning lilac colour, light fragrance and butterflies in one naturally rounded cultivar.
In the garden & on the balcony Placement & plant combinations Use it against deep green or beside silver foliage, always with open sky and clear access around the flowers.
A lilac summer focus
Place it at the front of a sunny border, in its own pot or in a small group of three where lilac can repeat. The low crown does not hide planting behind it.
For a low mass, allow about 0.7–0.8m from centre to centre. In a mixed pot, keep companions very low around the edge so the buddleja is not crowded.
Silver and soft blue
Combine lilac, silver, soft blue and white in full sun, using light, fertile and well-drained soil throughout.
- Salvia yangii — Extends the blue-violet palette in full sun and light, free-draining soil.
- Oenothera lindheimeri — Its airy stems and small flowers create movement around the rounded buddleja.
- Stipa tenuissima — Adds fine texture and golden movement without reducing pollinator access to the flower panicles.
Care at a glance
Light
Full sun with open sky; shade reduces the density of the dwarf crown and the number of flowering stems.
Watering
Water thoroughly when the upper layer dries, more often during establishment and summer flowering, always with free drainage.
Climate & hardiness
Hardy to around −18 °C in suitable, well-drained ground. Young plants and roots in pots need extra protection during prolonged freezing weather.
Safety
An ornamental shrub, not food. Do not consume plant material and wash your hands after substantial pruning.
Detailed careComplete care guideFull sun, free-draining soil, pots, watering, spring pruning, spent flowers and the winter cycle
Sun & flowering
Place in full sun, where the compact crown fills evenly and flower colour is clearest. Avoid shade cast by taller shrubs.
Soil & planting
Plant in moderately fertile, free-draining soil. Leave open space around the base and avoid over-enriching, as lush growth can weaken the plant’s natural balance.
Growing in a pot
Use an outdoor pot with unobstructed drainage and enough depth for a stable root system. Check moisture more often in hot weather without allowing water to stand.
Watering
Water thoroughly when the upper layer dries, more often during establishment and heavy summer flowering. An established plant tolerates short dry spells.
Spring pruning
In early spring, before vigorous new growth begins, shorten the stems to renew the compact flowering crown. Use clean tools and retain healthy buds low on the framework.
Spent flowers & winter
Removing finished panicles keeps the display neat and may encourage continued flowering. A sparse or bare winter framework is normal for a deciduous shrub.
Development over timeFrom a young plant to a mature dwarf buddlejaCorrect establishment gradually gives way to characteristic branching, mature scale and the cultivar’s full seasonal rhythm.
Root establishment
After planting, top growth may remain restrained while roots establish. Consistent deep watering and free drainage matter more than immediate flowering.
The natural habit becomes clear
The main stems branch to form a full, compact shrub. Shortening them in early spring encourages fresh shoots that carry the summer flowers.
A mature seasonal rhythm
With maturity it repeats its principal display every year: lilac lightly scented panicles from summer into autumn.
Mature form & dimensions
Indicative mature formHeight approx. 0.8 mSpread approx. 0.8 mOutward-opening stems
Stems open outwards from the base, carrying lilac panicles at their tips. Leaves develop in opposite pairs.
Form through time
New growthLeaves and lateral shoots before flowering
FloweringLilac panicles at the tips
Canopy density and flowering intensity vary with the season, age and care.
What to expect after planting: Growth may be restrained through the first season while roots establish. In a suitable position in open ground it reaches approximately 0.8m in height and about 0.8m in spread (maturity 3–5 years). Growth in a pot is usually more restrained and depends on available root space. Season and microclimate determine whether the plant arrives with flowers, buds, fresh growth or a quieter crown.
History & origin Cultivar origin A Dutch cross made in 2018
Little Lila was bred by Johannes Adrianus Maria Koot in Kaatsheuvel, the Netherlands. In summer 2018 he crossed female selection ‘19019’ with male selection ‘11013’, aiming for compact plants with abundant flowering and distinctive colours.
The seedling was selected in summer 2019 and propagated by cuttings that August. Named ‘Botex 004’, it joined the Butterfly Candy® series as Little Lila. It received a bronze award at the 2021 KVBC Summer Challenge, followed by US plant patent USPP34378P2 in 2022.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScience nobody asked forBotanical details for anyone curious about what lies behind the plant’s appearance
A panicle of many small flowers
The inflorescence consists of branching axes bearing many small flowers, each with a tubular corolla opening into four lobes. Flowers open in succession, so closed buds, open flowers and older flowers can occur together on the same panicle.
Leaves in opposite pairs
The leaves develop in opposite pairs at each node. Buds in their axils can produce lateral shoots. This arrangement is especially clear on young growth, before leaves and flower heads make the canopy denser.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers covering light, watering, pots, mature size, pruning and seasonal behaviour.
01Does it really need full sun?
Yes. Open sun produces a denser dwarf crown and more flowering panicles. Prolonged shade makes stems more open.
02When does it flower and attract butterflies?
Panicles appear summer into autumn. Nectar and light fragrance attract butterflies and bees, depending on local wildlife.
03When is the main pruning done?
In early spring, before vigorous growth begins. The cultivar flowers on new growth, so spring shortening renews the crown.
04Can it grow in a pot?
Yes. The dwarf habit is especially suitable, provided there is full sun, enough depth for stable roots and free drainage.
05How large does it become?
In a suitable position in open ground it reaches approximately 0.8m in height and about 0.8m in spread (maturity 3–5 years). Growth in a pot is usually more restrained and depends on available root space.
06Is winter leaf loss normal?
Yes. It is a deciduous shrub and a sparse or bare winter appearance is normal. Fresh growth returns in spring.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.