Like so many garden trees, the buddleia is a shallow-rooted plant. You can find out what this means and what you should pay attention to in this article.
Are buddleias shallow-rooted?
Buddleias are shallow-rooted plants, which means that they spread their roots close to the surface of the earth. Make sure there are sufficient planting distances, install a root barrier for common buddleia and provide the plant with sufficient water.
What is a shallow root?
Shallow-rooted plants are plants that do not spread their roots into the depths, but rather in a fan shape close to the surface of the earth. Only a few roots reach deep to ensure stability. Shallow-rooted plants are generally at risk of falling over during storms, etc., typically grow in dry, sandy soil and tend to spread quickly via root runners. These can not only cause distress to other neighboring plants, but can even damage buildings.
Be sure to maintain planting distances
For this reason, you should always adhere to the planting distances specified for the respective variety - not only to the next plant, but also to house walls, fences, etc. Buddleia can grow up to 300, sometimes even 400 centimeters high and wide their root network to the same extent. You only need to maintain a minimum distance of around 80 centimeters when planting a flower hedge.
Do you have to install a root barrier?
Many shallow-rooted plants are prevented from spreading uncontrollably using a root barrier. Depending on whether you have a normal or a refined buddleia, different measures should be taken. Grafted butterfly lilac usually does not require a root barrier and only rarely spreads via seeds. Since the seed heads are removed during the annual pruning, you do not need to take any further steps.
If it is a common buddleia, you should install a root barrier. You can find out which material is suitable for this and how the barrier is attached in the annual care section in this article.
Tip
Not sure which lilac will decorate your garden? Ask the shop, tree nursery or nursery where the lilac was purchased.
Dig up buddleia
Even when digging up the buddleia, you need to keep an eye on the flat, spreading roots. To ensure that the shrub survives the relocation undamaged, you should cut the root area within a radius of around two-thirds of the plant height. For a three meter high shrub, this means that you define a circle with a diameter of two meters - with the plant as the center - and thus lift out most of the roots. In order to damage as little as possible, loosen the soil and roots with the digging fork and only then carefully lift the plant out.
Tip
When planting near the house, you must pay particular attention to supplying the buddleia with water. The soil here is usually very dry, which is why plants planted here need more water than in other garden locations.
