Plant of the Week: Midnight Sunshine

So, do you like dark and mysterious? Or sunny and bright? That's what we've got going on with our Caryoperis varieties.

Beyond Midnight® bluebeard

Beyond Midnight® bluebeard was selected for its extremely glossy, dark green foliage and intense blue flowers. It's the classic Caryopteris, only better. Sunshine Blue® II Caryopteris is an improved version of the original Sunshine Blue® Caryopteris. Same flashy blue and yellow color, but with better hardiness.

All Caryopteris will do best in full sun and well-drained soil. Cold, wet winters are really hard on them, so be sure to check the drainage of a site before planting. They are hardy to USDA Zone 5. Beyond Midnight® gets about 30" tall and wide, while Sunshine Blue® II bluebeard grows to about 3'.

Note: bees love these plants. Personally, I like seeing bumblebees in the garden. But the bee-phobic might not want them right next to the patio. (The technical term for bee-phobia is 'melissophobia'. Sorry to all of the very nice ladies named Melissa out there.)

Sunshine Blue® II bluebeard

Caryopteris peaks later in summer. It's a really nice plant for refreshing a summer border. When other plants are starting to get a little tired, the Caryopteris burst into bloom with their distinctive blue flowers.

The challenge for summer stars like this is that they don't look like much in spring. The one-time garden center shopper can miss out on some great plants. How do we convince these folks to plant for more than one season and hopefully shop more than once a year? 

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles