Bluebeard (Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Longwood Blue') is a woody perennial and reminds me a lot of Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)...as it's sky-blue flowers bloom on arching stems and it's silvery-gray foliage is attractive to butterflies and bees. The flowers are unique, sporting little blue 'beards'! The plants (shrubs!) will grow up to 4 ft. in height and, while they prefer full sun, mine are doing fine in dappled shade, in between my crepe myrtles and carpet rose bushes. I planted them in the garden that runs along the side of my driveway. They look so cheery right now, as the summer is dying down.
Next year I may need to move them to allow more space between them and the other plants...but for now, they have found a home right where they are. If I don't eventually move them, I will at least plan to cut the plants back to about 6 in. in height, which should encourage more branching and 'fullness'.
Oh, and did I mention they are not only aromatic, but deer-resistant as well!! My front yard is a deer magnet (and my many phlox probably just serve to encourage them to come!). I just love it when I find plants that are both deer resistant AND gorgeous! If you live in the right zone for Bluebeard, you really should give it a try!
Stay tuned for September Surprise #3, coming shortly!
--Today I am thankful for bushes with blue blooms;-)
Words and photos by Jan Huston DobleThanks For 2 Day.
What a gorgeous blue! I have looked at a few caryopteris-- lots of fun cultivars.
ReplyDeleteI love Bluebeard too. 'Longwood Blue' and 'Dark Knight' make an especially nice combination.
ReplyDeleteThat is a wonderful plant!
ReplyDeleteI have tryed it here but It dont make it throue the winter :o(!
LInda
Lovely Jan, three good things in one plant, beautiful, aromatic and deer-resistant! Bluebeard got to put it up on my wishing list.
ReplyDeleteTyra
TYRA'S GARDEN, Boost up your immune system
Dear Jan .. can you believe I don't have this plant ? That blue is so pretty and I love having a plant with the blue gray foliage .. they really do stand up to drought conditions !
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me : )
Joy
How lucky are you to have 4 Bluebeards growing in your yard? They're pretty. I like them a lot. I know the deer have to eat but, gee whiz, they eat so many of the pretty plants. Nice that they don't care for the Bluebeards.
ReplyDeleteCaryopteris is one of my fall favorites. They propagate very easily by sticking a piece of stem (2 nodes) in rooting medium. You don't even need rooting hormone to make more. Great for fall color!
ReplyDeleteDeer, deer in your garden!!! Wow.
ReplyDeleteI love this shade of blue, so vibrant but unfortunately I have an intense HATRED for anything that is discribed as being like Buddleia. Enjoy and I look forward to part 3
That's a really nice plant. Every year I'm surprised of the beauty!The grow rather fast and are almost wider than they are high after a few years / gittan
ReplyDeleteHi Jan, I've seen similar clue Caryopterises, and am always shocked they're the spirea genus, as they don't look like what I think of as spirea. I haven't seen as vibrant a blue as the wonderful Longwood--they are indeed a treasure! And glad to hear they like dappled shade, as I have a lot of that.
ReplyDeleteHi Jan,
ReplyDeleteVibrant blue, so sought after! I don't have many blue things in my garden. Except bluebirds.
Rosey
Wonderful new found plant!
ReplyDeleteLove blue !
It's great that you have a 4 season garden.
I think mine is 2 and a half seasons. ha
Blue flowers are always sweet and lovely and they are rare too. ~bangchik
ReplyDeleteI love the smell of caryopteris, and that one of yours is so pretty. I haven't had one in my garden for years,and now I don't have any space, so I think I will put one on the allotment, you have me hankering for one now.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear that Caryopteris is deer resistant. I should have noticed that. I planted one for the first time this year and, yes, the deer haven't bothered it. It's just now that you've mentioned it, that I realized that. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes, these are great! I've had one for years but only recently realized what a nice smell they have. I bet they look great where you've planted them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for introducing this one! I never heard of it before and it's beautiful! I will put it on my wishlist:)
ReplyDeleteThe blue is so beautiful. I wonder if they grow in New Zealand.
ReplyDeleteFound some blue bells and foget me nots. Blue is just different.
We mixed these with a bunch of regular Knock Out roses in a display at work. The combination of the cherry red and that blue really look good together. I had one of the gold leaf forms of this plant, but only liked it in the spring. The foliage color was off once the heat got here.
ReplyDeleteI just love the blue plants and this one is so pretty I've tried growing it here two times-both times were failures:( Glad it works in your garden.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Yes, I think snakeroot and bugbane are the same-a lovely plant.
I didn't realize Blue Beard was deer resistant, might have to give it a try. That's a lovely photo collage. Hope you're doing well!
ReplyDeleteI just had to stop in and say, your photos are breathtaking! I love how you use the bright green background; it makes the colors of your flowers really pop out. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful blue blooms. I love it.
ReplyDeleteAnother beauty! Can't wait to see what surprise #3 will be!
ReplyDeletejan this is really lovely flower. How sad that i do not have this plant in my small garden. Thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beauty! And I'm a fan of anything with blue blooms. I'll definitely consider this one when I plant some more shrubs.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really pretty blue. I'll have to add 'Longwood Blue' to my shopping list for next year. I've got a nice full sun spot that needs that kind of color...
ReplyDelete