Maureen Gilmer
Family
Asteraceae
Botanical Name
AGERATUM houstonianum 'Balclinebu'( CLOUD NINE™ BLUE, CLOUD NINE™ SERIES) PPAF
Plant Common Name
Ageratum, Blue Mink, Cloud Nine™ Blue Ageratum, Flossflower
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
Fluffy, cool lavender to violet-blue flowers bedeck Cloud Nine™ Blue flossflower ('Balclinebu')when temperatures are not hot and growing conditions favorable. Though technically a tender perennial, flossflower is widely grown as an annual bedding plant. It is native to Mexico and Central America where it grows as an evergreen subshrub with a dense, bushy habit, but it has also become naturalized in tropical and subtropical countries across the globe. The Cloud Nine Series was developed by Ball Horticultural Company and are propagated by cuttings.
The fragrant foliage is deep medium green, heart-shaped and has scalloped edges. Throughout the season, as long as it is not too hot, a plant produces numerous clusters of fluffy, spidery flowers of pale blue-violet to lavender. Bees and butterflies pollinate the lightly fragrant flowers. The spent blooms should be removed to encourage continuous bloom and to keep the plants looking clean.
Flossflower is easily grown and excels in garden sites with full sun and average soil with moisture and good drainage. Where summers are hot, Cloud Nine™ Blue's foliage can wither and flowering cease. Thus, plants may flower more continually in locations with partial sun. These ornamental are rarely bothered by deer and have few pest and disease problems. Enjoyed as a colorful bedding plant since the Victorian times, flossflower looks best in containers or mixed borders with other brightly colored, sun-loving ornamentals. In tropical regions the plants can be evergreen perennials and have their best flowering performance in the comfortable dry season.
Unfortunately, Ageratum houstonianum has escaped from cultivation in many frost-free regions globally and is considered a problematic, invasive weed-—especially because its foliage is toxic to grazing ruminants. To learn more see the report by the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER) : http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/..%5Cspecies%5Cageratum_houstonianum.htm
Characteristics
-
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
10 - 13
-
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Plant Type
Tender Perennial
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
-
Height
6"-8" / 15.2cm - 20.3cm
-
Width
8"-10" / 20.3cm - 25.4cm
-
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Native To
Mexico, Central America
Growing Conditions
-
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Drainage
Average
-
Soil type
Loam, Sand
-
Growth Rate
Fast
-
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
-
Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Ornamental Features
-
Flower Interest
Showy
-
Flower Color
Lavender, Blue Violet
-
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
-
Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
-
Foliage Color (Fall)
Green
-
Foliage Color (Winter)
Green
-
Fragrant Flowers
Yes
-
Fragrant Fruit
No
-
Fragrant Foliage
Yes
-
Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
-
Flower Petal Number
Semi-Double
-
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
-
Showy Fruit
No
-
Edible Fruit
No
-
Showy Foliage
No
-
Foliage Texture
Medium
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
Yes
-
Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
-
Usage
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Edging, Mixed Border, Tropical
-
Sharp or Has Thorns
No
-
Invasive
Sometimes
-
Attracts
Butterflies
-
Self-Sowing
Yes
