ShrubsDiscover the right shrubs for your garden.
Beyond Midnight ® bluebeard . picture by : Proven succeeder
splendid honest - blue prime are a oddity in any time of year , particularly in the fall when the garden is awash in toasty shades of gold and burnt orange . That ’s the delicious surprise ofCaryopteris(bluebeard ) , a deep - bloom bush covered with fragrant clusters of airy blue flowers in previous summer until the first tingle of frost .
Compact in size of it , this drought - tolerant foul-up boom in almost any sunny location and is especially well - accommodate for space - take exception garden , shrub borders , mint planting , and containers . Even when bluebeard is not in bloom , the colored , redolent foliage adds ornamental pastime and perfume get down in former spring and lasting throughout the entire time of year .
On this page : Basics|Planting|Care|Varieties|Landscaping mind
BASICS
Botanical name:
Caryopterisspp .
Common names:
Bluebeard , blue mist spirea — although not related to spring- and summertime - bloomingSpirea
Zones:
5 - 9
Plant type:
A deciduous bush , but often treat as a perennial in colder mood because the above - solid ground maturation will die back in rough winters .
Exposure:
Full Sunday
Size:
2 to 4 feet marvellous and all-inclusive
Bloom time:
commonly belated summertime through other fall , with some varieties blooming until mid - fall .
Foliage:
Linear , exquisitely toothed folio may be gray - gullible , silver grey , amber , lustrous yellow , or variegated , depend on the form . Rub or crush the leaves with your hand to enjoy their pleasant , eucalyptus - like scent .
Flowers:
Arranged along the distance of the stems in feathery lock , Caryopterisflowers tramp in people of colour from gunpowder depressed to thick violet - blue , although pink - flowered cultivar are also available . The infrastructure flower petal are elongated like tiny beards , urge on the plant ’s common name .
Special attributes:
HOW TO PLANT BLUEBEARD
When to plant:
The cooler months of spring or fall are the best time to plant bluebeard to prevent transplant shock from uttermost summer heat . Avoid planting too late in the season , especially in colder regions . Ideally , you should get your plant in the ground at least a calendar month before a heavy freeze to reserve clip for the roots to become lay down .
Where to plant:
Grows good in a cheery spot that welcome at least 6 hours of direct sun day by day . Will also put up light shade , but plants wo n’t blossom as well and may become lank . Avoid planting in a website where the soil remains wet in winter and former spring .
How to plant:
When planting from greenhouse starts , dig a hole about twice the breadth and just as mysterious as the sizing of the container . Remove the works , mildly teasing aside the roots , and seat in the golf hole with the crown tier with the soil surface . Backfill with the aboriginal filth , then water soundly .
Spacing:
Space bluebeard shrub at least 2 feet apart , depending on plant size at due date . For shrub mete and mountain plantings , closer spacing will result in a broad face and great impact .
BLUEBEARD CARE
Beyond Pink’d ® bluebeard . Photo by : Proven achiever
Watering:
Caryopteris is a great shrub forwaterwise gardensbecause it only needs supplemental watering during prolonged dry charm . The exception is new plants , which should be watered on a regular basis until they become establish .
Amendments and fertilizer:
Bluebeard shrubs will flourish with only light mulching and some organic matter mixed into the grime at planting time . Avoid overfertilizing , which will stimulate foliage growth at the disbursement of flower product . remediate the stain with compost or other constitutive thing will also help to improve drainage .
Pruning and deadheading:
Similar to other flowering shrub that produce flowers on new growth , Caryopteriscan be pruned hard in spring by cutting the woody stems down to just above fresh emerge shoot . This will also promote sturdier , denser growth .
There is no want todeadheadbluebeard for continual bloom , and the seedpods that remain after the flowers slicing can provide cosmetic involvement or be used in dried peak arrangement . If you desire to avoid potential seed spread , remove the spent flowers before they go to seed .
Soil:
Thrives in average , well - enfeeble soil . Will not tolerate heavy clay soils or wet human foot in wintertime .
Propagation:
Although bluebeard may ego - sow , you’re able to also propagate it by softwood root cuttings take in late spring .
Pests and diseases:
Caryopterishas no serious pest or disease problems , but crown rot can be an yield in badly drained grime .
BLUEBEARD VARIETIES
exposure by : Proven Winners
Beyond Midnight ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersCaryopterisxclandonensis
Zones:5 - 9Height and spread:24 to 30 in tall and wideBloom sentence : recent summer through early fall / atomic number 15 >
Glossy , dour green foliage make a wonderful backdrop for this cultivar ’s bewitching midnight - aristocratical flowers . A goodly , compact riding habit realise it a majuscule alternative for container or as a low shrub in front of taller plants .
Beyond Pink’d ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersCaryopteris incana
Zones:7 - 9Height and spread:24 to 30 inches tall and wideBloom time : Late summer through mid - fall
A New introduction notable for its bright pinko , pompom - comparable blooms that are produced in profusion all along the stem . Not quite as hardy as otherCaryopteris , so winter protection is call for in nerveless climates .
Sunshine Blue ® II — Buy now from Proven WinnersCaryopteris incana
Zones:5 - 9Height and spread:2 to 3 feet tall and wideBloom time : Late summer through early fall
An extra - intrepid , long - live variety adorned with raft of plentiful reddish blue - blue blossom complemented by undimmed jaundiced foliage . The feathery blueish blooms are resistless to butterfly stroke and bee in hunting of a pin fete .
Photo by : Lana B / Shutterstock
Longwood BlueCaryopterisxclandonensis
Zones:5 - 9Height and spread:3 to 4 foot grandiloquent and wideBloom time : Mid - summertime through early capitulation
Taller and more vertical than most bluebeards , this cultivar is prize for its showy spires of sky - blasphemous bloom and handsome silver grey foliation . Stunning when planted in rows as a hedgerow or border flora .
Photo by : Sandy Pruden / Millette Photomedia
Dark KnightCaryopterisxclandonensis’Dark Knight '
A compact , mound variety with smoky - blue blooms and dusky gray - green leaves . Very attractive in mass planting or as a depleted hedging . Deer and cony will manoeuvre clear of the powdery , aromatic foliage .
exposure by : Keith Jessie Anne / Millette Photomedia
Worcester GoldCaryopterisxclandonensis’Worcester Gold '
Zones:5 - 9Height and spread:24 to 30 column inch marvellous and wideBloom metre : Mid - summer through former fall
This cultivar is aptly key for its brilliant gold foliage , which makes a spectacular backcloth to the lavender - down flush . The leaves maintain their golden color all time of year to supply a long period of sake .
photograph by : Nancy J. Ondra / Shutterstock
White SurpriseCaryopterisxclandonensis’White Surprise '
A surprising twist on conventional bluebeard , this variegated cultivar features attractive silvery - green leaves accented by creamy - blank edges . A number grueling to find than some other varieties , but worth seek out for the extremely ornamental foliage .
LANDSCAPING IDEAS
Because of its compact size , Caryopterishas a multitude of use in garden bed and borders . stress some of these invention ideas :
