bluebeard
© www.northcreeknurseries.com
Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Dark Night’ is a wonderful blooming surprise at the end of summer, a time when few flowering shrubs are in such glory. An improvement over most bluebeards, ‘Dark Night’ has a tidy upright habit and is more densely branched than other species with superior deep purplish-blue flowers in tufts along the stem. The dark green foliage is the perfect foil for late season flowers that hummingbirds find quite attractive. This soft rounded shrub is excellent for mixing into the perennial border. Bluebeard can be slow to leaf out in the spring which makes it a great companion for taller spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils.
Plant Type: shrub
Foliage Type: deciduous
Plant Height (10-year): 4 ft. 0 in. (1.22 meters)
Plant Width/Spread (10-year): 4 ft. 0 in. (1.22 meters)
Plant Height-Mature: 4 ft. 0 in. (1.22 meters)
Plant Width-Mature: 4 ft. 0 in. (1.22 meters)
Hardiness: USDA Zones 6 to 9
Flower Color: purple
Flowering Time: summer-fall
Sun/Light Exposure: full sun
Water Requirements: occasional watering
Seasonal Interest: summer-fall flowers
Wildlife Associations: bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
Resistant to: deer
Great Plant Combinations:
Great Color Contrasts: silver, variegated, orange
Great Color Partners: lavender, rose, purple
The key to successful culture is well-drained soil and a spot in full sun. Most losses come from the roots receiving too much water during our rainy winters or planting it in too much shade. Fortunately, once established, this bluebeard only needs occasional watering during prolonged dry weather. These shrubs should be pruned in late winter to about 8 to 12 inches tall. This will encourage strong new growth which flowers best in late summer.
Text and photos ©2020 Great Plant Picks/Elisabeth Carey Miller Garden except where otherwise noted
Funded by the Pendleton and Elisabeth Carey Miller Charitable Foundation, The Seattle Times, and Individual Donors
Administered by the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden