Caryopteris – Bluebeards

Prized for their long season of interest and easy care, Caryopteris (Bluebeard, Blue Mist, or Blue Spirea) are terrific deciduous shrubs with fragrant true blue flowers in late summer and fall. Attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds and beneficial insects, they add a welcomed splash of color in the late season garden when few other shrubs are in bloom. As valuable as the flowers, their dense foliage of aromatic leaves is also one of their great attributes, adding interest from the time they appear in spring until frost. Superb additions to most sunny garden settings, Bluebeards can also fit small spaces and containers. One of the best small shrubs for late color, they are worth repeating several times over in a border to give a strong fall effect.