Caryopteris (Bluebeards)

Why Should I Grow Bluebeard?

Growing Bluebeard (Caryopteris) in your garden is an excellent idea for several reasons:

• Late-Season Blooms: Caryopteris produces beautiful blue to lavender blooms from late summer to early fall, adding color to your garden when many other plants have stopped flowering.
• Pollinator Attraction: Its vibrant, nectar-rich flowers are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators. This makes it a wonderful addition to a pollinator garden or any garden aiming to boost local biodiversity.
• Deer and Rabbit Resistance: Caryopteris’s aromatic foliage deters deer and rabbits, making your plants less likely to be eaten by these common garden pests.
• Drought Tolerance: Once established, Caryopteris is drought-tolerant, making it a good choice for areas with hot, dry summers or low-maintenance gardens.
• Compact Size: With its compact, mounding growth habit, Caryopteris is ideal for small gardens, borders, or containers.
• Fragrant Foliage: The leaves of the Caryopteris plant are aromatic, adding a sensory element to your garden.
• Easy to Grow: Caryopteris is not particularly picky about soil and requires little care beyond regular watering and annual pruning, making it an excellent choice for both beginner gardeners and those looking for low-maintenance plants.

In conclusion, whether for its beautiful late-season blooms, its ability to attract pollinators, or its easy-care nature, Caryopteris is a plant worth considering for your garden.

Garden Design with Bluebeard

Bluebeard, is an exceptional choice for various garden designs due to its vibrant blue flowers, aromatic foliage, and late-summer to early-fall blooming period. Here are a few ways to incorporate it into your garden:

• Mixed Border: Caryopteris serves as a fantastic late bloomer in mixed borders. Pair it with late-summer perennials like Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, Echinacea, or Rudbeckia for an extended season of color.
• Pollinator Garden: Given its attractiveness to bees and butterflies, consider placing Caryopteris in a pollinator or butterfly garden. Pair it with other nectar-rich plants like Salvia, Monarda, or Buddleia.
• Cottage Garden: Caryopteris’s informal growth habit fits well into a cottage garden style. Combine it with traditional cottage garden plants like Roses, Lavender, or Foxgloves.
• Drought-Tolerant Planting: Once established, Caryopteris is quite drought-tolerant. It can be used in xeriscaping or low-water-use gardens alongside other drought-tolerant plants like Lavender, Sedum, or Russian Sage.
• Containers: Caryopteris’s compact size makes it well-suited to container planting. It can serve as a ‘thriller’ plant in a ‘thriller, filler, spiller’ design, with its vibrant flowers providing the eye-catching ‘thrill’.
• Autumn Interest: As Caryopteris blooms in late summer and early fall, it can be used to provide interest in the garden as the season transitions to fall.

Remember to give Caryopteris a sunny spot, as it thrives in full sun. This will ensure the most prolific blooming and the healthiest plants.

Companion Plants

Caryopteris, or Bluebeard, pairs well with a variety of plants, owing to its late summer to early fall blooming period and its vibrant blue flowers. Here are a few companion plant suggestions:

• Perovskia (Russian Sage): Its silver foliage and lavender-blue flowers make a pleasing contrast to the bright blue of Caryopteris.
• Sedum: These perennial plants offer late summer to fall blooms, matching Caryopteris’s bloom time. Their pink flowers also contrast nicely with Caryopteris.
• Echinacea (Coneflower): The vibrant colors of Echinacea, particularly the purples and pinks, pair well with the blue of Caryopteris.
• Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan): With its bright yellow flowers and darker central cone, Rudbeckia provides a striking contrast to the blue of Caryopteris.
• Grasses: Ornamental grasses like Panicum (Switchgrass) or Miscanthus provide a great backdrop for Caryopteris, offering contrasting forms and textures.
• Nepeta (Catmint): The soft, blue flowers and aromatic, grey-green leaves of catmint complement Caryopteris well. Both plants also share similar sun and soil requirements.
• Buddleia (Butterfly Bush): The tall, striking flowers of the butterfly bush provide a nice backdrop for the shorter Caryopteris, and both plants attract pollinators.
• Bulbs: Underplant them with early crocuses, daffodils or snowflake bulbs for spring flowering.

Remember, companion plants should have similar sun, soil, and water requirements to ensure they grow well together.

Growing Tips

Bluebeard is relatively easy to grow, but some tips can help optimize its health and appearance:

• Sunlight: Caryopteris prefers full sun for the best flowering and to maintain a compact, sturdy form.
• Soil: This plant thrives in well-drained soil and is highly adaptable to various soil types, including clay, loam, or sandy soil. It is intolerant of wet, poorly-drained soils.
• Watering: Although Caryopteris is drought-tolerant once established, regular watering during its first growing season will help it develop a strong root system. Avoid overwatering, as the plant is sensitive to waterlogged conditions.
• Fertilizing: Use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in the spring to promote healthy growth. Avoid over-fertilizing, which can lead to lanky growth and reduced flowering.
• Pruning: Prune Caryopteris in early spring, cutting it back close to ground level. This will encourage new growth and plentiful flowers in late summer and fall. Pruning also helps maintain the plant’s shape and size.
• Mulching: Apply a layer of mulch around the base of the plant to retain soil moisture and suppress weed growth.
• Pest control: Keep an eye out for common pests such as spider mites, particularly during hot, dry weather.