Caryopteris Plant: The Blue Beauty Of Summer Gardens

Do you want to add some elegance to your garden? Or do you want that touch of royalty for your garden? Well, growing some Caryopteris flowers in your garden can help. 

The caryopteris is one of the most blue-colored plants, and blue is the color of royalty. The good thing about the caryopteris is that it is one of the shrub varieties which are easy to grow, and it blooms elegantly. In common language, these plants are popular by the name of blue mist or blue bear for their attractive blue flowers. 

In the article, we will tell you about how to grow caryopteris and its care. We will also explore some of the most popular varieties of the plant for you. 

Caryopteris Plant

Caryopteris is a blue-colored flowering shrub that is a favorite of butterflies and bees. 

This plant is popularly known as the blue kist or Bluebeard and produces some genuinely blue-colored flowers. The plant originated accidentally by the hybrid of C.mongholica and C.incana. After the origins, gardeners have used this plant for producing some highly attractive varieties of plants. 

This plant has a soft and compact size which makes it perfect for any type of garden. It also makes them a good choice even for the small or container gardens. According to the climate of the region, this plant is grown as woody perennials or deciduous shrubs. These plants grow from near lower mounds, and the leaves are narrow gray and silver in color. The leaves resemble the willows.

The ideal season for planting these blue beauties is fall or spring. 

How To Grow Caryopteris? 

The blue mist shrubs have soft gray foliage along with compact size making them a good choice for any type of garden. This blue mist plant is a very versatile plant that you can plant on the perennial borders, bordering shrubs, or in the form of small hedges. The plant is very effective if you go for planting it in masses. Other than this it is a great choice if you want some summer plants for flowers.

In addition to this, the blue mist flowers are some of the low maintenance plants. They also don’t require much fertilizer for their growth. 

These are some of the tips which you should follow for the blue mist flowers in your garden:

Light

The caryopteris plants need full sunlight for better thriving and blooming. However, they can also tolerate the amounts of shade, so you can also plant them in the patio or other shady locations. 

One thing to know is that if you plant in shades, then the blue kist flowers may bloom a little less. Other than this, the blue beard will bloom later in the season if you plant them in the shade areas. 

Soil Type For Caryopteris

The caryopteris plants prefer well-draining soil types which can retain medium moisture levels. However, it can also tolerate good amounts of moisture in the soil. 

The best pH level for the blue mist shrubs is neutral soil. However, this plant can also tolerate slight amounts of acidic types of soil. It can also tolerate some low levels of alkaline soil conditions. 

Water 

The blue mist plants are highly drought-tolerant, and this is great for dry regions. This also makes them a good option if you are someone who can’t have a regular watering routine. 

However, they require watering on a regular basis when they are in growth years. Although once they are fully established, they don’t require any type of watering on a regular basis. You also don’t need to go for any kind of supplemental watering after they are established. But if you live in particularly dry areas, then they will need watering once a week. 

Humidity And Temperature For Caryopteris 

The Bluebeard plants are one of the hardy summer plants which you can grow in your garden. They are best for the people who live in the USDA zones between 5 to 9. 

However, if you live in the northern parts of the area, then it is best for USDA zones between 5 to 9. These plants also die back to the ground levels in the winter season. Although this is not much of the problem as it is one of the fastest-growing shrubs. When it grows again in the season, it again blooms for the present year. 

Fertilizer 

The caryopteris plants are some of the low feeders and don’t require much feeding. One of the best types of feed you can provide it with is the organic mix, and that will be all it needs. 

The side dressing of the blue mist shrubs is most preferable for the fertilizing in these plants. One thing to know for the caryopteris plants is that don’t overfeed them. This is because otherwise, it may lead to leafy plant growth and low blooms. 

Varieties Of The Caryopteris 

There are a number of popular blue mist varieties that people choose for their gardens. Some of them are:

• Caryopteris x Clandonensis: This is the original accidental hybrid variety of the caryopteris plant. It is one of the hardiest varieties of this plant to grow, but still, it is the most popular one among gardeners. 
• Caryopteris Dark Knight: Do you want the darkest blue flowers for our garden? Well, then the caryopteris dark knight is the variety you should choose. This variety of the plant is popular for its dark blue flowers. However, this variety is lightly temperamental to growing. 
• Sunshine Blue: This cultivar of the plant has deep blue color flowers offset by the yellow color foliage. 
• Pink Chablis: This is one of the most popular varieties of the plant which people get to add some attractive colors to their garden. Other than the usual blue flowers, this variety has pink color flowers, which makes it a great option among summer plants. 
• Longwood Blue: This variety of caryopteris has sky blue color flowers, which are also one of the fragrant blooms. It has taller stature, which goes up to 4 feet in height. 
• Worcester Gold: The Worcester variety of the plant has lavender flowers and golden foliage. This is one of the most attractive varieties of the plant you can get. 

These are some of the caryopteris plant varieties which you can get for your garden. 

Pruning 

The caryopteris plants need pruning for a better bloom and growth. Thus to keep the plant flowering and in shape, you will need to cut it down to half size. This is to be done during the early spring for better results. 

You can go from pruning up to the levels, which makes them 12 inches to 18 inches in size without causing any harm to them. Other than this, you will also get some deadwood in the central part of the plant as they age. So, you will need to prune out these deadwood parts from the plant. When the plants die back during the winter season, go for pruning the dead stalks from them. This is essential as it will encourage new and fresh growth during the summers. 

Propagating The Caryopteris 

The blue mist plants can seed on their own, and you can also transplant the volunteers according to your wish. 

However, if you want to propagate it on your own, then you can do it with the help of soft-wood cuttings. You will need to do it during the late spring. For doing it, cut a segment of the newly grown stems, which is at least 6 inches in size. After the cutting, remove the lower pairs of leaves from the stem. Now dip the cuttings end into a solution of rooting hormone and then plant them into a potting soil mix. 

For the best results, remember to keep these cuttings in the bright but indirect sunlight. You will also need to make sure that they are provided with proper water. Do this until the plants develop a good system of roots for themselves. 

Disease And Pests 

The caryopteris plant can be harmed by the four-lined types of plant bugs during the month of June. This bug can lead to mottling of the foliage on the plant; however it doesn’t harm the plant itself. The bug also moves on quickly on the plant, so when you see it, you will need to act fast to prevent any further damage. 

To get rid of the bug, you can use insecticidal soap water, neem oil, or horticulture oil. Using these things will lead to controlling the bug on plants. 

These are some of the growing and caring tips for the caryopteris plant which you should remember. The good thing about the caryopteris plant is that it is one of the low maintenance and hardy plants. This is why even if you are a beginner in the field of gardening, you can add it to your garden for summer bloom. 

Final Words

Do you want some summer-blooming flowering plants for your garden? If yes, then getting the caryopteris plant for your garden can be a perfect choice. 

The good thing about these plants is that they are one of the low maintenance and hardy plants. This is why even beginners can have them in the garden. In addition to this, there are a number of varieties available in the market for this plant. So, you can get the one which suits your needs best. Although one thing which you can be sure of is that no matter which variety you get, it will turn some eyes for its attractiveness.