Apparently I can’t stay away from nurseries, especially the large ones that are well stocked even in late August. My excuse for going there this week was to find a replacement for a ‘Golden Mop’ Threadleaf False Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera – above) that I wrongly assumed didn’t need watering during our long, very hot drought this summer. I found a Parsons juniper that should be more drought-tolerant, but then you never know these days, do you?
‘Dark Knight’ Caryopteria planted just yesterday in my garden.
Now for the fun stuff. I happen to have an open spot in a mixed perennial/shrub bed where the volunteer garden phloxes I’d planted were too mildewy to keep. So at the nursery I headed for the perennial benches where I homed in on what looked great that day and also what was visited by the most bees and other pollinators. The winner, hands down, was the herbaceous perennial/small shrub Caryopteris ‘Dark Knight’.
And this small shrub, already over 3 feet tall, only cost me $22! There’s no need to wait for it to sleep or creep – it’s already leaping! That’s one of many reasons I’m such a fan of adding shrubs to perennial borders.
Caryopteris growing in my former garden, back in the ’90s and ’00s.
Lastly, I grew this plant in my last garden and I’ve missed it!
Okay, but what is it? Garden Design Mag calls it a “deciduous shrub, but often treated as a perennial in colder climates because the above-ground growth will die back in harsh winters. 2 to 4 feet tall and wide.” And the Missouri Botanic Garden says its “roots are winter hardy to USDA Zone 5, but top growth is only reliably winter hardy to USDA Zone 7.” Well, I’m in Zone 7B so here’s hoping the top growth survives my next (sadly, warming) Maryland winter.
(About common names – Bluebeard, Blue Mist Shrub or Blue Spirea – I just ignore them because they’re infrequently used and can cause confusion with other plants. E.g. it has nothing to do with spireas.)
A Pollinator Magnet – When it’s Most Needed
High Country Gardens says that ‘Dark Knight’ “blooms with a profusion of dark blue flowers in late summer when few other shrubs are flowering. Its modest size makes it very useful in smaller yards. A fantastic nectar source for bees and butterflies. Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric).” It’s recommended for these attributes: “Bee Friendly, Attracts Butterflies, Deer Resistant, Rabbit Resistant, Low Maintenance, Long Bloom Time, Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Privacy.”
North Creek Nursery agrees, calling it “a wonderful late season pollinator plant—luring bees and butterflies from miles around and providing nectar from August to October.”
Some bee-related websites – Vital Bee Buds.com and Honeybee Suite.com – tout its benefit to pollinators, with the latter noting that “We often overlook Caryopteris as a pollinator plant because it is not native. Gardeners imported it to this country from East Asia as an ornamental shrub. However, it is not considered invasive anywhere in North America.”
I’ve noticed that the big bee-related nonprofits recommend only natives as pollinator plants, and that’s a shame. Surely the more ways that homeowners can support pollinators, the greater the impact, especially with eco-conscious people who also care about beauty.
Thank you for reminding me of this plant which Elizabeth Lawrence grew in her southern garden. It’s on my list of possible plants for a garden I’m planning, but seeing a picture of it in bloom gives it more pros than I had listed. And the late summer bloom time *always* fills a hole of one wants 12 months of bloom. (As one can have in a Southern garden)
Just FYI: they look smashing when blooming alongside things like Goldenrod, Japanese Anemone, Asters, and hardy Chrysanthemums.
OMG I’m sure they do!
I live in Northern Va. and my caryopteris self sows. There is usually some winter dieback but it comes back enthusiastically. Very drought tolerant. It never whined to be watered during this summer’s drought.
That’s encouraging!
I absolutely love this plant. I too have Dark Night and it was kind enough to reseed once to date, in our Cape Cod garden. I have had several varieties, and love them all, but Dark Night has suceeded where others have failed. I did learn early on when first discovering Caryopteris that is does not enjoy our often wet winters. I have lost at least 4. I now stick to planting them in spring only and have found better success rates, although they are more often sold during their glory days of August and September, when in their full glory.
Hmm, good to know.
I’ve seen them advertised as “lilacs that bloom all summer!” Which I think is disgusting.
I find them too floppy. For fall blue flowers that attract pollinators I’ve found hardy ageratum works.
I garden in zone 6 a, formerly 5 b and have a comment about planting caryopterous in autumn. In my Boston suburb location they failed to survive when planted in October. Some other people ( same zone) on a reputable garden forum had the same experience.
Spring planting was successful. Although they die to the ground every winter and are VERY late to emerge in spring they’ve come back for 10 consecutive years.
So if your caryopterous doesn’t come back after fall planting,a spring start may e the solution.
Thx. Helpful to know they emerge VERY late. I could have given up too early!
I grow several in zone 8a. They thrive in full sun and dry conditions— no shade at all! And all pollinators adore them. I counted visitors to my Caryopteris Longwood Blue for last year’s Southeastern Pollinator count.
Cool! Mine won’t get FULL sun, so fingers crossed.
I love Caryopteris. My experience has been that they’ll tolerate less than full sun (unknown in my garden — now 7a) as long as they have good drainage.
Thx for the tip. Mine aren’t getting full sun, either.
Congratulations! ‘Dark Knight’ is the absolute best selection. Plant high and cover during bitter freezes. Easy to propagate through cuttings & may seed itself in unexpected, but delightful places in my Zone 8.
Great to know!!
Inspired by the double low hedge of caryopteris at Longwood years ago, I grew ‘Longwood Blue’ for years in my last house (sunny, South-facing hillside), but it wasn’t as thrilled with my stream valley. If I ever clear the hillside behind the veg garden, it will definitely be on the list. Also grew one of the chartreuse cultivars (I think from C x incana), but after two years it exited, disgusted with my conditions.
$22 for a perennial? Profligacy!
😉 xoMW
Me, profligate? Nay, it was $22 for a 3+ feet tall shrub!
I have grown Caryopteris for many years in my (now) 6A NYS Fingerlakes garden. I believe the original cultivar was Longwood Blue. I grow it In full sun on a fast draining south facing slope. It requires almost no supplemental water here in the Northeast. Most winters there is only a little die back and I prune the plants as much as I choose for it’s location. I started with three plants and it has gently self seeded around. The seedlings are easy to pull out and replant where I like. This first week of September, the plants are in full, glorious bloom and covered with pollinators! Love this plant!
Love them! They don’t seem to like our drawn out humid summers. Need to try all the suggestions and try again!
Thank you!
I’ve grown Caryopteris for years in eastern Nebraska. Do not prune in back in the fall or winter except to trim branches a bit. Do not prune in early spring. Pruning at these times will cause it to die. It should be prune in late spring after all danger of frost is over and the leaves are starting to emerge. Then it can be chopped to 6-8” above ground or just the weaker stems cut out and it shaped a bit.cut out winter willed branches. Grown as commercial specialty cut flower for blue color in the fall. Mine do a bit of self seeding after 10 -20 years. So now I prune out the seed heads in the fall. Yes, birds eat the seeds if you leave them. I’ve found it adaptable in clay soils.