Caryopteris incana Sunshine Blue - Bluebeard

Caryopteris incana Sunshine Blue®, is a small bush that is very bright and has golden aromatic foliage and late amethyst blue flowering. It is slightly more sensitive to cold than its hybrid cousins.

Called "Bluebeard" or "Blue Spirea", this Asian bush, 1.20m (3ft 11in) tall, hardy down to -7°C (19.4 °F), with a bushy habit that is wider than it is tall. It has deciduous, aromatic, opposite, single, oblong, golden foliage, 2 to 7cm (0.8 to 2.8in) long, coarsely toothed on slightly lignified, purple-spotted stems. In September, beautiful bouquets of small tubular flowers, amethyst blue, with long stamens last until early autumn.

Caryopteris incana Sunshine Blue® grows in rich, deep but most importantly well-drained, neutral or alkaline soil, in a warm, sunny, not too windy location. The only maintenance required is winter mulching, fertilizer application, and a very short pruning in March.

Caryopteris incana Sunshine Blue® can be used in flower beds with perennials, combined with cinquefoils or white or yellow perpetual roses.