Caryopteris

( kare - ee - OP - ter - iss )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly referred to as Bluebeard, this group of flowering shrubs is deciduous and require full sun. They need moderate water with good drainage and are usually grown as woody-based perennials. These shrubs are some of the few that produce truly blue flowers. Blooms flower in summer and fall on current season's growth, so they can be cut back to the ground before new spring growth occurs each year. These flowers will attract butterflies and bees to your garden, and the foliage (when crushed) smells a bit like Eucalyptus.

Caryopteris Species and Varietals

The genus Caryopteris is included in the family Lamiaceae, and there are seven species currently recognized. Caryopteris growing zones vary depending on the species; refer to the descriptions below for more growing information. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Caryopteris x clandonensis (Blue Mist)
This shrub grows best in zones 2b-9 land 14-24. Forms a low-growing mound 2-3 feet tall and wide. Small blue flower clusters appear at the ends of stems. Varieties include 'Petit Bleu', 'Blue Balloon' (rounded shape and lavender-scented leaves), 'Dark Knight', 'Longwood Blue' (with silvery foliage), and 'Summer Sorbet' (with yellow-edged green leaves).

​Caryopteris incana (Common Bluebeard, Blue Spiraea)
This species grows best in zones 4-9 and 14-24. Grows to be 3-4 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Lavender-blue flowers appear at leaf joints. Variety 'Jason' (also known as 'Sunshine Blue', pictured) has golden yellow leaves and medium blue flowers.

​Caryopteris 'Lil Miss Sunshine'
This is a hybrid between Caryopteris x clandonensis and Caryopteris incana, and has bright yellow foliage and blue flowers. It gets to be 3 feet tall and wide.

Caring for and pruning Caryopteris shrubs

Caryopteris shrubs prefer well-drained, sandy soil with a neutral pH and to be planted in an area that receives full sun to partial shade. They are intolerant of wet, clay soils. Once established, these shrubs need little water to survive, and are drought tolerant when mature. Mulch around the roots in wintertime to protect roots from cooler temperatures. Caryopteris shrubs should be cut back to the ground once a year before new spring growth occurs, and deadheaded regularly during the blooming season to encourage reblooms. Bluebeard is considered to be low-maintenance and does not need to be fertilized. A small amount of organic matter mixed into the soil once a year should be sufficient to provide nutrients for these plants.

Propagation

Caryopteris can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Caryopteris by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In late spring, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth on your propagated plant, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Caryopteris by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a plastic bag, damp sphagnum moss, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows. 
  2. Harvest your seeds in late fall. Once the seed pods on the shrub have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place them in the plastic bag with some damp sphagnum moss. Place your bag in a refrigerator for three months.
  3. In late winter, water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area (about 68 degrees Fahrenheit) that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 14-21 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Bluebeard seed pods emerge after flowers have faded.
Caryopteris seeds.

Problems and Pests

  • Capsid bugs
  • Fourline plant bugs
  • Crown rot
For more information on these issues and pests, including how to eradicate them, consult the links below:
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Gallery

Caryopteris clandonensis 'Summer Sorbet' has variegated leaves
Bluebeard is great in natural landscapes.
Caryopteris provides great color for gardens.

Videos

A short video about Caryopteris clandonensis.
All about Bluebeard.
How to prune Caryopteris.
Learn more about Caryopteris shrubs in this video.

Resources

How to Grow and Care for Blue Beard
Caryopteris
Caryopteris - Bluebeards
Wikipedia: Caryopteris
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 224, Caryopteris
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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