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First Choice Caryopteris flowers

First Choice Caryopteris flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

First Choice Caryopteris in bloom

First Choice Caryopteris in bloom

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Bluebeard, Blue Spirea, Blue Mist Shrub

Description:

Light, airy shrub with purple-blue flowers held over blue-green leaves; foliage has fuzzy, silver undersides and is fragrant when crushed; a true butterfly magnet for the garden

Ornamental Features

First Choice Caryopteris features dainty cymes of blue flowers along the branches from early summer to early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has bluish-green deciduous foliage. The fuzzy oval leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color.

Landscape Attributes

First Choice Caryopteris is an open multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

First Choice Caryopteris is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

First Choice Caryopteris will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

First Choice Caryopteris makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.