Blue mist spirea
Caryopteris x clandonensis
Blue mist spirea (Caryopteris x clandonensis) is a shrub suited to the Colorado Front Range. It matures to about 2–4 ft tall and 3–4 ft wide, needs low to medium water, and prefers full sun. Bee magnet in late summer. Cut to the ground each spring — treats like a perennial.
low to medium water2–4 ft tall and 3–4 ft wideXeric / water-wiseDeer-resistant
Photos
At a glance
- Botanical name
- Caryopteris x clandonensis
- Variety / cultivar
- 'Dark Knight', 'Longwood Blue', 'Worcester Gold'
- Type
- Shrub
- Mature size
- 2–4 ft tall and 3–4 ft wide
- Water needs
- low to medium water
- Sun
- full sun
- Colorado native
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Soil
- loam, well drained only
- Soil pH
- 6.5–8.0
- Hail tolerance
- moderate
- Wind tolerance
- moderate
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
- Bloom color
- blue, purple
- Bloom time
- late summer, early fall
- Pollinator value
- high
Planting & establishment
Water deeply 1×/week through first summer. Cut back hard to 6 inches in early spring — it blooms on new wood.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Blue mist spirea good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes. Blue mist spirea is included in the Front Range Plant Finder as a shrub suited to Colorado's Front Range.
- How big does Blue mist spirea get?
- It matures to about 2–4 ft tall and 3–4 ft wide.
- How much water does Blue mist spirea need?
- It needs low to medium water once established.
- Is Blue mist spirea native to Colorado?
- No — it is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.
