pirates???

what are you referring to ???

caryopteris ... find the variegated ones... they are to die for

ken

Yes, sorry, Caryopteris. I just really like the blue that they bring to the late garden, so I was wishing one would live longer than two years. I am trying to figure out which one is the one that lived for several years in the boulevard in front of a neighbor's house where I used to live. Different people have moved in there, and they don't know what it is. It wasn't variegated, it has blue flowers with grey green leaves, but it lived and lived for several years, while the ones that I have tried (Little Miss Sunshine and Summer Sorbet) have not. We had a regular winter and not the zpne seven type that we had two years ago. They might be to die for, but so far they have been to die period. All the ones that I have bought said zone 5 on the tag, but we have a short season here, and I thought if I could figure out the earliest blooming one, maybe it would be more able to be ready for the winter that comes all too early here. Maybe it was the three feet of snow that came in early Oct that broke every blooming branch off the plant that did it in, and maybe that made it not able to recover and store up for winter. or maybe it was just too cold for too long. I've got good drainage here, so I don't think it was too wet.

I read that Chicago Botanic Garden found Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Arthur Simmonds' to be the hardiest variety. It can be found at Lazy S's Farm Nursery.
http://www.lazyssfarm.com/Plants/Shrubs/A-Ch%20Shrubs/shrubs_trees_Ca-Ch.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: CBG Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Arthur Simmonds'

we had a z4 winter here in z5 MI ...

this year mine died to the ground... but is coming back with a passion.. with no insult to the root mass ... but we did have a solid snow cover the entire winter .... thereby insulating the roots ...

the variegated ones .... lol ...

ken

ps: who was bluebeard .. blackbeards bro???? ... the blue sheep of the family ..???

Thanks nhbabs. I'll look into it.

Bluebeard is a novel by Kurt Vonnegut. But also Bluebeard was only made a pirate by modern storytelling like Bart Simpson. Historically Bluebeard was a name given to a serial woman/wife killer. Henry VIII had the nickname of Bluebeard for example.

When you cut back your caryopteris in the spring stick a few cuttings in the ground. That's the only reason I still have Sunshine Blue and Dark Knight. Also take cuttings from your neighbors plant and you'll have it too.

That's a good idea. Thanks. I did have a branch that touched the soil root on the variegated one I had first, but they both died the next winter. Today I did find a "Longwood Blue" at the local purveyor, and since it was only five dollars for a quart pot I figured I would try it.