Please identify this plant

Here's the deal: The company - subcontracted by the builder - who originally landscaped my back yard (three years ago) has since gone defunct. Can't find them. Actually, don't want to. Now, this plant has been there from the get-go, but this season it has truly produced some amazing foliage and flowers. I am clueless as to what it is, but am interested in its genus. Also, would like to know its voracity, because if it is weed-like, I may desire to crop it back, or even get rid of it. Thanks in advance - W Jones (william.jones@usa.net)

If you don't get your ID here, try it on the Identification Forum. Pretty plant though. Reminds me of my purple Mexican Sage.

ID forum ... right. Sorry, I am a bit new to this. And as for Sage, this thing is five feet tall and eight feet wide, so pretty big.

butteryfly bush maybe?

I agree with Mitch--butterly bush--Buddleja.

Someone suggested the butterfly bush on the ID thread, I think they are right. How about it W Jones?
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2332/index.html

Yep. Butterfly Bush. I have one just like it. I love mine and so do the butterflies and hummers.

Lin

I agree, Butterfly Bush, definitely. And very pretty.

Looks like a white Vitex to me. See Chaste Tree.

not vitex--leaves are not right.

It looks like my "White Profusion" Buddleia - Butterfly Bush. Mine dies to the ground every winter, I frequently deadhead mine during the season and also steal some flowers for cut arrangements. Susan

Susan,

When do you deadhead ... and how close to the ground?

Normally just the blooms.

Looks exactly like butterfly bush. I also just snip off the blooms on mine.

I truly have trouble with my eyes and those leaves may be different but they sure look like a vitex to me.....could be the blurr of a middle aged woman but here's a pic so you can all laugh at me....

and laugh some more

You will notice that the Vitex is more of hand shaped leaves and the Butterfly bushes leaves are spread apart and smaller.

aha.......my eyes!

Dont worry happens to all of us on here... I know only sure to the fact the Chaste Trees love me and BB bush hate me!

Poor BB! Where is Red Oak?

Near Dallas - they grow all around me with no problem just hate my yard. I even bought three two years ago mail order thinking they might do better - nope...

Even saw them in New Mexico in full sun and no water and blooming like nuts..

Oh well just one of those plants I am not going to grow -

I have had the same experience over and over again with plumbago. Everyone around me can grow with no problem. Me, I'm a killer!

I don't have a butterfly bush myself but my neighbors across the street have a lovely 10 footer (at least).

it is just one of those plants.... oh well why worry about what I cannot grow but I focus on what I can grow and just let them go nuts!

sublimaze, this is what you have.

http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/budwhite.htm

Thats gorgeous! I want one!

Yup.

Since I have posted the Identify on this, it has grown another 6-8 inches. I have hardly any room left for this thing ... and it is growing in this awful Texas clay (for those of you who are here ... you know what I mean). And knolan, it is a very attractive plant and hardly anyone in the immediate vicinity has one, so I feel I have actually achieved something, when in reality, the BB is doing it all on its own.

I'd suspect they are relatively inexpensive, but I don't know for sure.

W J

yes I think so, relatively inexpensive and relatively easy to find.

I got one on ebay that is purple. It has taken over 1/3 of the front garden by the street. It hardly ever gets water, has the heat of the road near it, and bloomed ALL winter even.

renatelynne - what zone are you ..
.. I know that my davidii gives up in the winter, and I'll dead head it.

I think it is 8b. It is hard to tell sometimes. I'm close to San Antonio but higher because of the hill country. soooo it is a bit cooler here than San Antonio and we get a bit more rain. We froze 3 times last winter, and one of them was pretty harsh. It amazed me that the bush survived. It had less flowers but there were still some there. I wish I had taken a pic of it.