Catananche caerulea Amor Blue

Catananche caerulea 'Amor Blue', also known as Cupid's dart, is a perennial plant that thrives in dry conditions and requires plenty of sunlight. This plant generously blooms throughout summer with small solitary lavender-blue heads carried by long slender stems above dense grey-green basal foliage. These paper-like textured flowers retain their beauty even in dried bouquets. This plant, which is often condemned to die in humid conditions, self-seeds abundantly in light soil, in the sun.

Catananche caerulea is a short-lived perennial plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is native to the Mediterranean region. It can be found in dry meadows, lawns, scrublands, embankments, and along paths, in poor, stony, and limestone soils, up to an altitude of 1500 to 1700m (4921 to 5577ft). When in bloom, it forms an upright clump measuring 55cm (22in) in height and 30cm (12in) in diameter. Its growth is rapid, but winter moisture often causes premature death. Its basal leaves are linear, narrow, and evergreen, with a beautiful grey-green and silky appearance. From June to August, depending on the sowing date, it produces small flowers measuring 3 to 3.5cm (1in) in diameter, with slender blue-mauve petals with a darker centre. The flowers taper at the ends. The flowering is abundant.

Cupid's dart is a solitary plant, but it is never as beautiful as when paired with a plant with grey foliage, such as artemisias or silver ragwort. It is a wandering perennial that loves the sun and tolerates drought very well, carefully choosing light soil where its spontaneous seedlings will emerge. It is perfectly suited for dry meadows, difficult embankments, rockeries, or borders. It can even be grown in pots.

This plant was formerly used in the preparation of love potions, which explains its common name Cupid's dart. It pairs well with sedums and wormwoods, as well as with the blue alpine thistle.