Bluebeard

Bluebeard: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Small, rounded shrub 60–100 cm tall and as wide, with thin, upright stems rising from a woody base.

Leaves

Narrow and lance-shaped, grey-green with a silvery underside; aromatic when crushed.

Flowers

Small tubular flowers in dense clusters in the leaf axils along the upper half of the stems, from August to October.

Colour

Pale to deep blue depending on the cultivar. The long stamens give the clusters a fluffy look.

Roots

Fine and branching; they cannot cope with soil that stays wet for long.

Flowering: August–October · Plants: April–May · Pruning: April

Why grow it?

• Flowers late in summer, from August to October, when many other shrubs have finished.
• A first-class plant for bees, bumblebees and butterflies.
• Drought-tolerant: once established it rarely needs extra watering.
• Fragrant, grey-green foliage that looks good even out of flower.
• Compact enough for a small garden, the front of a border or a large pot.

Bluebeard: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: the sunnier the spot, the more flowers and the more compact the shrub.
• Well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay that does not stay wet; acid, neutral or chalky.
• Dry to moist soil. Wet ground in winter is more dangerous than frost.
• A warm spot against a wall or in a gravel garden helps it through hard winters.
• Allow 60–80 cm between plants.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

1 m tall, 1 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -15 °C)

Goes well with

• Lavender: The same sunny, dry spot; lavender flowers earlier and bluebeard takes over.
• Ice plant: Pink flower heads in August–September beside the blue clusters, also good for bees.
• Russian sage: Silvery leaves and violet-blue spires, just as drought-tolerant.
• Ornamental grasses: Airy stems that sway between the compact shrubs.
• Catmint: A blue-grey edging at the front of the border, in flower from May.

Bluebeard: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant in April or May, so it is well rooted before winter.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot. On heavy soil, mix in coarse sand or gravel to improve drainage.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot and firm the soil well.
4. Space plants 60–80 cm apart, or plant a group of three for a patch of blue.
5. Water in thoroughly straight away, and again in dry spells during the first weeks.
6. Mulch with gravel or a thin layer of compost, not a thick, wet layer against the stems.

Care

Watering

In the first year, weekly in dry weather. After that only in long droughts or when grown in a pot.

Feeding

Needs little: a handful of compost in April is enough. Too much feed gives floppy stems and fewer flowers.

Mulching

Gravel or a thin layer of compost keeps weeds down and the base dry.

Deadheading

Leave the spent stems until April: they protect the base from frost.

In pots

Use a large pot with a drainage hole and free-draining compost. Water when the top few centimetres are dry.

Tip: Wait until April to prune, even if the shrub looks untidy in March: the old stems protect the base from late frost. On heavy soil, plant it on a slight mound with some gravel.

Bluebeard: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April.

When: In April, once the worst frosts are over and you can see the new buds swelling.

How:

• Cut all stems back to 15–20 cm above the ground, just above a few healthy buds.
• Remove dead, frosted and very thin shoots completely.
• Do not prune in autumn: the old stems protect the base in winter.
• A hard prune every year keeps the shrub compact and full of flowers.

Caution: It flowers on new wood. Without an annual prune it becomes woody and bare at the base, and only flowers at the tips.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Softwood cuttings

In May–June: take 8–10 cm cuttings from young, non-flowering shoots, strip the lower leaves and insert in moist cutting compost under plastic. They root within a few weeks.

Semi-ripe cuttings

In July–August in the same way. Keep the young plants frost-free over their first winter and plant out in spring.

Bluebeard: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −15 °C: protect young plants.

• Hardy to about −15 °C: in a dry, sunny spot most Belgian winters are no problem.
• In a severe winter the stems may die back. Wait until April to prune: it usually reshoots from the woody base.
• Wet soil in winter is its worst enemy: make sure drainage is good.
• In a pot: stand it against a sheltered wall and wrap the pot in hessian so the roots do not freeze.

Diseases and pests

• Root rot: The plant wilts and dies in heavy, wet soil. Plant on a slight mound and mix gravel into the soil.
• Frost damage: Brown, dead stems after a cold winter. Prune back to healthy wood in April and wait: it usually recovers.
• Bare, woody shrub: Caused by too little pruning. Cut back hard every spring; an old, leggy plant is better replaced.
• Few flowers: Too much shade or too much feed. Move it into full sun and feed less.

Through the year

• March: Do not prune yet: the old stems protect the base from late frost.
• April: Cut back to 15–20 cm above the ground. Plant. Give a handful of compost.
• May: Plant. Take softwood cuttings.
• June: New shoots grow. Water young plants in dry weather.
• July: Water in long dry spells, especially in pots. Take semi-ripe cuttings.
• August: Flowering begins. Bees and butterflies arrive.
• September: Full flower.
• October: Last flowers. Leave the spent stems standing.
• November: Move pots to a sheltered spot against a wall.
• December: Dormant. Do not prune.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The name Caryopteris comes from Greek and means roughly ‘winged nut’, after its small winged fruits.
• The hybrid arose in the 1930s in an amateur’s garden in West Clandon, in the English county of Surrey: hence the name ‘clandonensis’.
• It belongs to the mint family, like lavender, sage and mint itself, and you can smell it in the leaves.