Caryopteris incana Sunny Blue - Bluebeard

Caryopteris incana SUNSHINE BLUE ®, is a small and very bright bush that develops a beautifully golden aromatic foliage, which does not turn green in the sun and forms a beautiful contrast with its dark blue late summer flowering. It is a small deciduous bush with a naturally rounded and dense habit, ideal for animating a large flower bed, even in fairly dry soil. Not very large, decorative for a good part of the year, this Caryopteris also thrives in a large pot on the balcony or terrace.

Caryopteris x clandonensis is a hybrid obtained by cross-breeding the Asian bush called 'Beard-blue' (Caryopteris incana) and the more hardy Caryopteris mongolica, native to colder regions of Mongolia and northern China. Both belong to the Verbenaceae family. The recently selected hybrid variety 'Sunny Blue' is a well-ramified, compact plant with yellow-tinged foliage, relatively hardy (up to -12/-14 °C at its lowest). The plant forms a tall and wide dense bush, reaching 80cm (31.5in) to 1m (3ft 4in) depending on the growing conditions. It flowers in the second half of summer, until the beginning of autumn. Its inflorescences appear on the upper half of the year's branches. They are composed of countless small dark blue flowers, densely arranged in whorls on multiple levels. With prominent stamens, they have a powdery appearance. This flowering is particularly attractive to bees and nectar-feeding insects, and the bush is often visited by many colourful butterflies. The deciduous foliage is made up of thin and triangular leaves with irregularly toothed edges, arranged opposite each other on straight stems. They have a bright yellow colour from spring until the end of summer. When crushed, they release a very pleasant aroma of anise and lavender. This foliage is absent in winter.

Caryopteris SUNSHINE BLUE can be used in flower beds or as a low hedge, alongside equally frugal summer-flowering plants such as bush cinquefoils, catmints, leadworts, lavenders, dwarf buddleias, and shrubby salvias. A colourful scene can be created in late summer by combining Caryopteris with evening primroses, California fuchsias, Aster turbinellus, or other early-blooming asters. A group of 3 Caryopteris surrounding a brightly coloured perennial rose is a sight to behold in September, as their different styles and colors of flowering complement each other perfectly. This SUNSHINE BLUE cultivar also grows well in a large pot, with regular watering and occasional flower fertilizer.