Caryopteris is an Asian member of the verbena family that is becoming quite popular as a perennial for the sun garden, with increasing selections of Caryopteris x clandonensis and new species becoming available. The long-lasting, butterfly-attracting, blue-lavender flowers and deer-resistant (but funky smelling) foliage (often variegated) make caryopteris a designers dream come true.
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Caryopteris plants prefer well-drained soil and can tolerate dry conditions once established, but do not tolerate heavy, wet soils. Caryopteris is perfect for a mass planting, a low border, or a xeriscape garden. Maintenance is easy for caryopteris...simply cut back the stems in early spring and let your the plants regrow. Try pairing Caryopteris with other fall plants such as Aster, Abutilon, Agastache, Aloysia, Solidago and Muhlenbergia.
If you are ready to buy caryopteris for your sun perennial garden, check out our online list of caryopteris for sale below.
Since 1988, Plant Delights Nursery has been the choice of serious gardeners and plant collectors looking for the best and rarest perennial plants. We are pleased to have received the Perennial Plant Association Retail Award in 2011, the American Horticulture Society Commercial Award in 2002, and to have been selected as one of the Best Mail Order Plant Sources - Garden Design Magazine 2010. Welcome to our family of plant lovers!
Caryopteris 'Lisaura' is the latest superb introduction from UK nurseryman Peter Catt. This hybrid of Caryopteris x clandonensis backcrossed to Caryopteris incana has turned out to be the most heat-tolerant of the gold-leaf caryopteris we have trialed. The 1.5" or wider leaves emerge golden and age to a chartreuse gold, which allows the plant to maintain its vigor. Our 3-year-old, deer-resistant clump is 3' tall x 4' wide. The clusters of axillary blue-lavender flowers adorn the terminal growth from summer until fall, nicely accenting the golden foliage. In 2007, Caryopteris 'Lisaura' was awarded the prestigious Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
One of the most exciting plants from our recent trials is Caryopteris 'White Surprise'. This amazing white-edged sport of Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Heavenly Blue' was discovered in 2005 by Dutch nurseryman, Jan Jacob Bos. For us, Caryopteris 'White Surprise' makes a 3' tall x 3' wide clump of woody stems, each clothed with finger-shaped, white-edged green leaves. Starting in summer and continuing into fall, the deer-resistant clumps are adorned with rich, lavender-blue whorls of flowers that look great against the variegated foliage. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
We have been taken with this stunning caryopteris in our trials! The vigorous 6' tall deer-resistant summer-flowering perennial, selected by Japan's Shinri Wakaiki, is topped from August through October with hundreds of small blue flowers that resemble trichostema (blue curls). Well-drained soils are particularly important for good survivability as you move into the more northerly zones...a great summer border plant. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Yes, Virginia, it is a caryopteris. Forget what you know about Caryopteris x clandonensis, as this cousin comes from a distant limb of the family tree. This variegated Japanese selection of the wonderful Himalayan perennial Caryopteris divaricata forms a small, compact deciduous clump composed of fuzzy, green, deer-resistant leaves, each surrounded with a bright white border and smelling amazingly like cat urine when crushed (important safety tip...do not crush leaves). Starting in mid-September, the fall-flowering clumps of Caryopteris 'Snow Fairy' are topped with delightful "blue curls." This is a real WOW plant that must be seen to be believed. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
