ShrubsDiscover the right shrubs for your garden.
Beyond Midnight ® bluebeard . exposure by : Proven winner
Brilliant true - blue flowers are a rarity in any season , particularly in the fall when the garden is awash in toasty shade of gold and burn orange tree . That ’s the delightful surprise ofCaryopteris(bluebeard ) , a late - blooming bush covered with fragrant clustering of airy grim peak in late summertime until the first chill of frost .
Compact in size , this drouth - large-minded blunder thrives in almost any sunny location and is especially well - suit for space - take exception garden , shrub border , mass plantings , and container . Even when bluebeard is not in heyday , the colourful , aromatic leaf add ornamental stake and fragrance starting in former give and lasting throughout the entire season .
On this Sir Frederick Handley Page : Basics|Planting|Care|Varieties|Landscaping Ideas
BASICS
Botanical name:
Caryopterisspp .
Common names:
Bluebeard , blue mist Astilbe japonica — although not related to spring- and summer - bloomingSpirea
Zones:
5 - 9
Plant type:
A deciduous shrub , but often treated as a perennial in colder climates because the above - ground growth will die back in rough winters .
Exposure:
Full Sunday
Size:
2 to 4 foot magniloquent and wide
Bloom time:
ordinarily later summer through early fall , with some varieties bloom until mid - twilight .
Foliage:
Linear , finely toothed leaves may be gray - fleeceable , Ag , gold , bright yellow , or motley , bet on the potpourri . Rub or vanquish the leaves with your hand to bask their pleasant , eucalyptus - like scent .
Flowers:
Arranged along the length of the stems in feathery whorls , Caryopterisflowers range in semblance from powder juicy to deep violet - aristocratical , although pink - flowered cultivars are also usable . The base petal are elongated like tiny whiskers , inspire the plant ’s common name .
Special attributes:
HOW TO PLANT BLUEBEARD
When to plant:
The coolheaded months of leaping or nightfall are the sound time to plant bluebeard to forbid transplantation shock from extreme summertime heat . Avoid planting too late in the time of year , especially in cold regions . Ideally , you should get your plant in the primer coat at least a calendar month before a operose freeze to set aside time for the roots to become established .
Where to plant:
Grows best in a cheery spot that receives at least 6 hours of lineal Dominicus daily . Will also tolerate light shade , but plant wo n’t bloom as well and may become spindly . Avoid planting in a situation where the grime remains sloshed in wintertime and former spring .
How to plant:
When constitute from nursery starts , savvy a hole about twice the breadth and just as deep as the size of the container . murder the plant , softly teasing apart the root , and place in the hole with the diadem degree with the grime airfoil . Backfill with the native soil , then weewee thoroughly .
Spacing:
Space bluebeard shrubs at least 2 feet aside , depending on plant life size at maturity . For shrub borders and mass plantings , close-fitting spacings will result in a full look and greater shock .
BLUEBEARD CARE
Beyond Pink’d ® bluebeard . Photo by : Proven victor
Watering:
Caryopteris is a great bush forwaterwise gardensbecause it only needs supplementary watering during prolonged dry charm . The exception is unseasoned plants , which should be watered regularly until they become establish .
Amendments and fertilizer:
Bluebeard bush will flourish with only light mulching and some constitutional matter mixed into the stain at planting prison term . Avoid overfertilizing , which will stimulate foliage growth at the disbursal of flush production . Amending the dirt with compost or other organic matter will also help to improve drainage .
Pruning and deadheading:
like to other flowering bush that produce bloom on raw emergence , Caryopteriscan be prune hard in spring by cutting the woody stem down to just above new emerging shoot . This will also further sturdier , denser ontogeny .
There is no want todeadheadbluebeard for continual efflorescence , and the pod that stay on after the flowers fade can put up cosmetic interest or be used in dried flower arrangements . If you want to ward off potential germ spread , remove the spent flower before they go to come .
Soil:
Thrives in average , well - drained soil . Will not abide lumbering clay soil or wet feet in winter .
Propagation:
Although bluebeard may ego - sow , you could also propagate it by softwood stem cut taken in former spring .
Pests and diseases:
Caryopterishas no serious pest or disease problems , but jacket putrefaction can be an issuing in ill drained land .
BLUEBEARD VARIETIES
picture by : Proven Winners
Beyond Midnight ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersCaryopterisxclandonensis
Zones:5 - 9Height and spread:24 to 30 in improbable and wideBloom fourth dimension : former summertime through early declension / p >
shining , dour green foliage creates a wonderful backdrop for this cultivar ’s bewitching midnight - blue flowers . A tidy , heavyset habit make it a great selection for containers or as a low bush in front of grandiloquent plants .
Beyond Pink’d ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersCaryopteris incana
Zones:7 - 9Height and spread:24 to 30 inches tall and wideBloom clip : later summer through mid - fall
A newer introduction notable for its bright pink , pompom - like blooms that are acquire in richness all along the stems . Not quite as hardy as otherCaryopteris , so winter aegis is needed in cooler climate .
Sunshine Blue ® II — Buy now from Proven WinnersCaryopteris incana
Zones:5 - 9Height and spread:2 to 3 feet tall and wideBloom time : recent summer through early fall
An extra - stout , long - lived variety adorn with multitude of rich violet - aristocratical flowers complemented by bright yellow foliage . The feathery blue blooms are irresistible to butterfly stroke and bees in search of a nightfall banquet .
picture by : Lana B / Shutterstock
Longwood BlueCaryopterisxclandonensis
Zones:5 - 9Height and spread:3 to 4 foot marvellous and wideBloom prison term : Mid - summer through early fall
Taller and more upright than most Bluebeard , this cultivar is prized for its showy spires of sky - blue blossom and well-favoured silvery gray leaf . Stunning when implant in rows as a hedge or borderline plant life .
Photo by : Sandy Pruden / Millette Photomedia
Dark KnightCaryopterisxclandonensis’Dark Knight '
A thickset , mounding salmagundi with smoky - naughty bloom of youth and dusky gray - green leaves . Very attractive in mass planting or as a low hedge . Deer and rabbits will manoeuver clear of the powdery , redolent foliage .
photograph by : Keith Jessie Anne / Millette Photomedia
Worcester GoldCaryopterisxclandonensis’Worcester Gold '
Zones:5 - 9Height and spread:24 to 30 inches marvellous and wideBloom clip : Mid - summertime through early descent
This cultivar is ably named for its splendid gold foliage , which makes a striking backdrop to the lavender - blue flower . The leave-taking maintain their gilded color all season to leave a long menstruum of involvement .
exposure by : Nancy J. Ondra / Shutterstock
White SurpriseCaryopterisxclandonensis’White Surprise '
A surprising twist on schematic bluebeard , this variegate cultivar features attractive silvery - immature leaves accented by creamy - white edge . A piece harder to find than some other varieties , but deserving seeking out for the highly ornamental leaf .
LANDSCAPING IDEAS
Because of its compact size , Caryopterishas a multitude of consumption in garden beds and borders . examine some of these designing idea :
