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