FLASH SALES: discover new special offers every week!
Share your pictures? Hide split images
I have read and agree the terms and conditions of service.
Exclusive

Caryopteris clandonensis Ferndown - Bluebeard

Caryopteris x clandonensis Ferndown ®
Bluebeard, Blue Spirea, Blue Mist Shrub

Be the first to leave a review

Why not try an alternative variety in stock?

42
From €8.90 2L/3L pot

Available in 3 sizes

103
From €4.90 8/9 cm pot

Available in 2 sizes

29
From €20.50 3L/4L pot
21
From €14.90 2L/3L pot
42
From €4.90 8/9 cm pot

Available in 2 sizes

13
From €11.90 2L/3L pot
8
From €16.50 3L/4L pot
11
From €4.90 8/9 cm pot

Available in 2 sizes

6
From €9.97 2L/3L pot
6
From €14.90 3L/4L pot
7
From €14.90 2L/3L pot

Schedule delivery date,

and select date in basket

This plant carries a 24 months recovery warranty

More information

A variety of Caryopteris notable for its small growth and long flowering, with a deep blue-violet colour. This bushy shrub, 80-90cm (31.5-35.4in) tall, forms bouquets of small flowers from July to September, with a colour that contrasts with the green-grey, aromatic foliage when crushed. It is a sun-loving plant that prefers well-drained, even dry, soil, and proves to be quite hardy in these conditions. It can be planted in a very sunny flowerbed, a large rock garden, in a small hedge, or in a pot on the terrace.
Flower size
1 cm
Height at maturity
80 cm
Spread at maturity
70 cm
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -15°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
plantfit-full

Does this plant fit my garden?

Set up your Plantfit profile →

Best planting time March, September
Recommended planting time March to May, September to November
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Flowering time July to September
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Description

Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Ferndown' can be seen from afar in flower beds at the end of summer, a small bush covered in deep blue-violet flowers that shine in the sun under the constant flutter of colourful butterflies. This little blue spirea blooms in the second half of summer and until September, on an elegant, finely toothed grey-green foliage that is pleasantly aromatic when crushed. It is a sun-loving plant that thrives in well-drained or even dry soil, and is quite hardy in these conditions. It can be planted in a sunny flower bed, a large rockery, or even in a small hedge. Its compact size allows it to be grown in a beautiful pot on the terrace for many years.

 

Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Ferndown' is one of the hybrids obtained by cross-breeding Caryopteris incana, an Asian bush known as 'Bluebeard', and the Caryopteris mongolica, which is hardier and native to colder regions of Mongolia and northern China. They all belong to the verbena family.

The 'Ferndown' variety quickly forms a compact bush about 80cm (31.5in) tall and 70cm (27.6in) wide, depending on the growing conditions. It blooms from the end of July in moist soil, and until the beginning of autumn. If the summer is dry, it will wait for the return of rain in August-September to bloom. Its inflorescences appear on the upper half of the current year's branches. They are composed of countless small purple buds gathered in dense whorls. The buds open into small flowers with prominent stamens, of a particularly dark blue-violet colour for a Caryopteris. This flowering is particularly attractive to bees and butterflies, and the bush is often visited by numerous insects and colourful butterflies. The deciduous foliage, absent in winter, consists of thin, triangular, aromatic leaves with irregularly toothed edges, arranged opposite each other on straight stems. They have a green-grey colour that varies from silver to more or less depending on the dryness of the soil and the heat. When crushed, they release a powerful aroma with resinous notes.

 

Caryopteris 'Ferndown', described as one of the most compact and colourful varieties, is used as a low hedge, in the company of shrubs and perennials with summer flowering that are as frugal as it is: yellow or orange shrubby Potentillas, Nepetas, Ceratostigma griffithii, lavender, dwarf buddleias, shrubby salvias... A colourful scene can be created at the end of summer by associating Caryopteris with compact sunflowers, evening primroses, Epilobium canum, Aster turbinellus, or other more active asters. A group of 3 shrubs surrounding a perennial rose of pastel (white, pink, or orange) or vibrant (red, yellow) colours is a splendid sight in September, as their very different styles and colours of flowering perfectly complement each other. Also consider planting some cyclamen at its base, and Sternbergia lutea, the autumn crocus with bright yellow flowers.

Caryopteris clandonensis Ferndown - Bluebeard in pictures

Caryopteris clandonensis Ferndown - Bluebeard (Flowering) Flowering

Plant habit

Height at maturity 80 cm
Spread at maturity 70 cm
Habit Irregular, bushy
Growth rate normal

Flowering

Flower colour blue
Flowering time July to September
Inflorescence Cyme
Flower size 1 cm
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators
Flowering description Dense whorls.

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour green
Aromatic? Fragrant foliage when creased
Foliage description Balsamic fragrance.

Botanical data

Genus

Caryopteris

Species

x clandonensis

Cultivar

Ferndown ®

Family

Verbenaceae

Other common names

Bluebeard, Blue Spirea, Blue Mist Shrub

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference862391

Other Caryopteris

42
From €4.90 8/9 cm pot

Available in 2 sizes

29
From €20.50 3L/4L pot
23
From €6.90 8/9 cm pot
21
From €14.90 2L/3L pot
103
From €4.90 8/9 cm pot

Available in 2 sizes

Out of stock
From €12.50 2L/3L pot
45
From €4.70 8/9 cm pot
8
From €16.50 3L/4L pot
13
From €11.90 2L/3L pot

Planting and care

Caryopteris are sun-loving plants that prefer well-drained soil. They can be planted early in the autumn in our warm and dry regions, or in the spring in colder regions, in a very sunny location and in a light, well-drained soil, even if it is rocky or sandy, but still relatively deep. While Caryopteris is not afraid of limestone, it will be more beautiful in humus-rich soil: add a good amount of compost to your garden soil if it is compacted or very rocky. A waterlogged soil in winter will strongly affect its hardiness. In well-drained soil, this plant can tolerate temperatures as low as -12 to -15°C (10.4 to 5 °F). Prune in late winter or very early spring to maintain a compact habit and promote the emergence of flowers on the new shoots.

Planting period

Best planting time March, September
Recommended planting time March to May, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Rockery
Type of use Border, Container, Slope
Hardiness Hardy down to -15°C (USDA zone 7b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Chalky (poor, alkaline and well-drained), Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil, Well-drained, but deep.

Care

Pruning instructions Prune in late winter or very early spring to maintain a compact habit and promote the emergence of flowers on the new shoots.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time February to March
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

This item has not been reviewed yet - be the first to leave a review about it.

Leave a review →

Summer-flowering shrubs

16
€45.00 4L/5L pot

Available in 2 sizes

2
From €6.90 1L/1.5L pot
3
From €4.70 8/9 cm pot
9
€32.50 3L/4L pot
34
From €3.90 8/9 cm pot
31
From €6.90 8/9 cm pot

Available in 3 sizes

73
From €5.90 8/9 cm pot

Available in 2 sizes

10
€14.90 2L/3L pot

Available in 2 sizes

8
From €18.50 4L/5L pot
Out of stock
From €8.50 8/9 cm pot

Available in 2 sizes

Haven't found what you were looking for?

We only deliver seed and bulb products to your country. If you add other products to your basket, they cannot be shipped.