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CARYOPTERIS x clandonensis 'Blue Mist'

Image of Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Blue Mist'

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

  • AHS Heat Zone

    9 - 1

  • USDA Hardiness Zone

    5 - 9

  • Sunset Zone

    2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

  • Plant Type

    Shrub

  • Sun Exposure

    Full Sun, Partial Sun

  • Height

    2'-3' / 0.6m - 0.9m

  • Width

    3'-4' / 0.9m - 1.2m

  • Bloom Time

    Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall

  • Native To

    Hybrid Origin

Growing Conditions

  • Soil pH

    Neutral

  • Soil Drainage

    Well Drained

  • Soil type

    Loam, Sand

  • Tolerances

    Drought

  • Growth Rate

    Fast

  • Water Requirements

    Drought Tolerant, Average Water

  • Habit

    Oval/Rounded

  • Seasonal Interest

    Summer, Fall

Ornamental Features

  • Flower Interest

    Showy

  • Flower Color

    Light Blue, Sky Blue, Blue Violet

  • Foliage Color (Spring)

    Green, Gray Green, Silver

  • Foliage Color (Summer)

    Green, Gray Green, Silver

  • Foliage Color (Fall)

    Green, Gray Green, Yellow Green, Silver

  • Bark Color

    Sandy Brown

  • Fragrant Flowers

    Yes

  • Fragrant Fruit

    No

  • Fragrant Foliage

    Yes

  • Bark or Stem Fragrant

    Yes

  • Flower Petal Number

    Single

  • Repeat Bloomer

    Yes

  • Showy Fruit

    No

  • Edible Fruit

    No

  • Showy Foliage

    No

  • Foliage Texture

    Medium

  • Foliage Sheen

    Matte

  • Evergreen

    No

  • Showy Bark

    No

Special Characteristics

  • Bark Texture

    Smooth

  • Usage

    Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border

  • Sharp or Has Thorns

    No

  • Invasive

    Sometimes

  • Attracts

    Butterflies

  • Self-Sowing

    Yes