Caryopteris spp.

bluebeard

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Fragrant (light)Container Friendly

HardinessZones 5–9

Overview

Caryopteris spp. is a genus of about six species of deciduous subshrubs and shrubs in the mint family, native to eastern and central Asia. Garden plants form rounded mounds 2-4 feet (0.6-1.2 m) tall and wide, with slender stems and gray-green, aromatic leaves that release a sage-like scent when bruised. From late summer into autumn, clusters of small blue to violet-blue flowers crowd the upper leaf joints, drawing bees and other insects late in the season. The hybrid C. x clandonensis and its selections are the ones usually grown in gardens, alongside species such as C. incana. Flower color ranges from pale sky blue to deep purple-blue, with a few selections in pink. The genus grows in full sun on light, well-drained soil and tolerates drought and lean ground once established. Plants are hardy in USDA zones 5-9 but die back partly or fully in cold winters, regrowing from the base. Wet winter soils and shade cause weak growth and sparse flowering. Stems flower on new wood, so plants bloom even after hard winter cutback. Most reach full size in two to three years.

Native Range

Native to eastern and central Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia, in scrub and on dry, rocky slopes.

Suggested Uses

Planted in sunny borders, gravel gardens, and mixed shrub plantings for late-season blue flowers and pollinator traffic. Combined with ornamental grasses and autumn perennials. Plants are not reliable in wet, heavy, or shaded sites.

How to Identify

Recognized by low, twiggy mounds of gray-green, aromatic leaves that smell of sage when crushed. From late summer, fuzzy clusters of small blue to violet flowers ring the stems at the leaf joints. Stems are slender and somewhat brittle, dying back in cold winters.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2' - 4'

Width/Spread2' - 4'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowering runs from late summer into autumn, roughly August to October. The blue flower clusters open over many weeks at a time when few other shrubs bloom. Bees and butterflies work the flowers heavily during this period.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

blue to violet-blue

Foliage Description

gray-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.8(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand chalk

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Plants grow in full sun on light, well-drained soil of low to moderate fertility. They establish from container plants set out in spring and tolerate drought once rooted. Sharp winter drainage matters more than summer water, as cold, wet soils rot the crown. In colder zones the top growth dies back and is cut to a low framework in spring, after which new shoots flower the same year. Overfed or shaded plants grow leggy and bloom sparsely. Light, gritty soils give the strongest flowering.

Pruning

Stems are cut back hard in early spring to a low framework 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) above the ground, since flowers form on new growth. This annual cutback keeps plants compact and free-flowering. Old, unpruned plants grow open and woody at the base.

Pruning Schedule

early spring