Family
Verbenaceae
Botanical Name
CARYOPTERIS x clandonensis 'Blue Mist'
Plant Common Name
Blue Mist Bluebeard, Blue Mist Shrub, Blue Spirea, Bluebeard
General Description
Prized for its prolific late-summer display of blue flowers, Caryopteris × clandonensis is a small deciduous shrub originating from a cross between C. incana and C. mongholica. The cultivar 'Blue Mist' has powder-blue blooms.
This rounded, knee- to waist-high shrub is densely cloaked with small, narrowly oval, gray-green leaves with silvery, felted undersides. Bruised leaves emit a pungent minty odor. In late summer and early fall dense clusters of misty-blue flowers with prominent deep-blue anthers appear in the leaf axils. The sweetly scented blooms draw masses of butterflies and other pollinators. Plants often self-sow if not deadheaded.
Plant this shrub in full to partial sun and moderately fertile well-drained soil. It is root-hardy into USDA Zone 5b, where it typically dies back in winter and resprouts from the base in spring. In warmer areas, a severe late-winter pruning will keep it from becoming ragged and rangy. Remove spent flowers to encourage repeat bloom and to prevent self-sowing. This small, adaptable shrub makes a nice accent plant in the mixed border and looks great planted in rows as a low flowering hedge.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
5 - 9
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Sunset Zone
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Shrub
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Height
2'-3' / 0.6m - 0.9m
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Width
3'-4' / 0.9m - 1.2m
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Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
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Native To
Hybrid Origin
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Light Blue, Sky Blue, Blue Violet
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green, Gray Green, Silver
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Gray Green, Silver
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green, Gray Green, Yellow Green, Silver
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Bark Color
Sandy Brown
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
Yes
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
Yes
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Bark Texture
Smooth
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Usage
Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
Sometimes
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Attracts
Butterflies
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Self-Sowing
Yes