Shrub
Blue Mist Spirea
Caryopteris × clandonensis
A late-summer haze of blue that bees can't leave alone, on a compact aromatic shrub.
- Pollinator
- Deer-resistant
- Fragrant
Quick facts
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 5–9
- Water
- Low once established
- Sun
- Full sun
- Size
- 24–36 in. tall × 24–36 in. wide
- Bloom & interest
- Fluffy blue flower clusters in late summer and early fall over aromatic gray-green leaves
- Plant type
- Shrub
- Native range
- Not native to the US (non-invasive garden plant)
Why we recommend it
Late-season blue bloom when few shrubs flower, heavy bee traffic, and good drought tolerance on a compact, deer-resistant shrub. (Not a true spirea; also called bluebeard.)
Best regions: Front RangeGreat BasinHigh DesertTexas
How to grow it
Watering to establish
Water weekly the first summer; afterward every 2–3 weeks in hot weather.
Pruning
Cut back hard (to 6–12 in.) in spring once new buds show; it blooms on new wood and dies back in cold winters anyway.
Soil
Well-drained soil; a crown that stays wet in winter is the main cause of loss.
Pairs well with
Read more
Where to buy
Shop Blue Mist Spirea from trusted growers. For the best selection of xeric plants, try a mail-order specialist or ask a local independent nursery.
- High Country Gardens (opens in a new tab)Xeric specialist
- Nature Hills Nursery (opens in a new tab)Wide selection
- American Meadows (opens in a new tab)Perennials & seeds
- Etsy (opens in a new tab)Small growers
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