Karyopteris is a perennial deciduous shrub.Currently, karyopteris belongs to the genus Lamiaceae, and was previously assigned to the Verbena family. I have been looking at them for a long time, but I could not choose the type and variety. Everyone knows that the same photo is often used on the Internet to describe different species and varieties, which is completely confusing for amateur gardeners. I can say I was just lucky! In early spring, I accidentally got into a wonderful garden center and there I saw the object of my dreams! The sales consultant told me in detail about the conditions of planting, care and reproduction of Caryopteris clandonensis. The variety I grow is called “Sky Blue”. In fact, the Bush was much more beautiful than the numerous photos that inspired me to buy! But I’ll tell everyone about it below. A bush with three branches 5-7 cm (2-2.8 in) high was bought with a closed root system and planted in the open ground in mid-April. A good drainage layer was made in the planting pit, since karyopteris painfully tolerates stagnation of water at the roots.
For the same reason, the filling soil was mixed with sand. This variety should be planted in the sun, neutral or alkaline soil is required. By August, when it began to bloom, the height of the bush reached 40-43 cm (1.3-1.4 ft). As the seller assured me, the height of adult plants rarely exceeds 1 m (3.3 ft). All summer I admired its exquisite gray-green foliage, and when the first flowers began to bloom, it was impossible to look away from their unusual blue radiance! But this is not all the advantages of this plant. Karyopteris blooms on the shoots of the current year, so pruning in early spring (before the beginning of the growing season!) will make your bush curly and provide abundant flowering.
The “Sky Blue” variety is amazingly easy to tolerate drought. I did not put him to this test, but since the height of summer, he has been deprived of watering for almost a week. No signs of lack of moisture! Not a single leaf has withered, not even turned yellow! All types of karyopteris are resistant to pests and diseases, it’s true! In the 2 years that he has been growing with me, I have seen this personally. And yet the fact that it belongs to fast-growing perennials pleases. That is, it blooms in the year of sowing! Isn’t that good news?! It is easily propagated by cuttings that give roots, being simply planted in water.
Leave a Reply