In message , Nick Maclaren
writes

In article ,
"dave @ stejonda" writes:
|
| It's getting a bit late for such drastic treatment, because the
| new wood may not ripen for the winter.
|
| Really? My davidii has only grown to half its usual height so far so
| there'll be a lot of new growth yet and I've never had problems with its
| hardiness over winter. Maybe it depends on where Rebecca is in the UK?

It does. But, except in the mildest areas, late summer growth of
buddleia is very likely to be killed. This is not a big deal,
as it merely delays flowering, but I would be chary of cutting
a buddleia back to 1' now.

I have never noticed serious die back on mine in N Yorks. But I would
not want to prune them hard right now as they are almost coming into
flower.

I might be tempted to thin out straggling or damaged stems though.

Hard pruning appears to delay flowering of established budleas by a week
or so. I have two identical bushes in similar positions though one was
blocking the driveway and was severely cut back last year. It is still
in bud the other is well into flower.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown