Bluebeard, WOW!

[kincade]

Out of all the plants in our yard including Anise Hyssop, Borage, Russian Sage, and Lavender, our 3 Bluebeard plants are by far the favorites of not only the honeybees but the bumblebees and leafcutter bees. They bloom for 2-3 months in the late summer/fall and are literally covered for weeks at a time by our girls.

Does anyone else have these shrubs planted?

Here is what I'm talking about:

http://www.provenwinners.com/plants/...opteris-incana

http://www.bhg.com/gardening/trees-s...ooming-shrubs/

We have of the regular and 2 of the 'petit bleu' (a smaller variety). They like them equally.

[minz]

My wife was pointing out some purple flowers along the berm and in the center divider. The leaves were not as yellow as this but I was without any idea of what it was. It appears it is available only as a shrub from my search (and spendy at that).
I am going to put it on my list and see if I can get one to grow (then try rooting hormone on it).

[Rader Sidetrack]

I am going to put it on my list and see if I can get one to grow (then try rooting hormone on it).

If you want seeds, try searching for "Caryopteris seed". Here are a few sources:
http://www.seedman.com/jimfav.htm (about middle of page)
http://www.tsflowers.com/seeds/caryo...blue_myth.html
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=caryopteris+seed

Bluebeard and Blue Mist seem to be different names for the same plant.

[arrowwood]

i noticed them covered in honeybees when i worked at a nursery...
now that i have bees of my own, i went searching for the plants
now i have four of the plants, but i got rooted cuttings (very much cheaper) instead of large pots (will flower faster)
so i am waiting patiently for them to grow big enough to flower

[DC Bees]

I planted this Bluebeard about two years ago.When i took the picture it was covered with honeybees.
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC02051.jpg

[kincade]

If you buy the plants this time of year, they should be greatly discounted. Here is one example:

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/in...roduct_id/4793

[Riskybizz]

High Country Gardens is right down the street from me, and Blue Mist Spirea (Bluebeard) is indeed one of the bees favorites. This plant is predominant all over Santa Fe and surrounding areas. My bees are on it from dawn to dark, never fails.

[WesternWilson]

I saw bees foraging obsessively on these plants in late September at the UBC Botanical Gardens...at first I thought it was some kind of catmint, but it turned out to be Carypopteris (BlueBeard). I found TONS of them at Cedar Rim Nurseries in Langley, BC. They should be pretty easy to find, and you can get mail order sources as well.

It is hard to find things that are loved by the bees blooming so late in the year. Caryopteris blooms well right up to the hard frost dates.

I got 6 one gallon specimens (smallish) to plant under my Hydrangea (nice combination), and three more to plant up to their leaf tips in large pots, to make rooted plantlets from. These I will "donate" to local empty lots and pathways!

There is one really lovely cultivar, "Worcester Gold" which has the lovely yellow-green chartreuse leaves. A showstopper when in bloom.

[kincade]

After a soft freeze a week ago my Bluebeards are only now finished blooming. They had bees on them for over 3 months this summer!