I grew this for several years here in South Carolina (I am considered 8a, but live in a cold spot) and it was usually in bloom by late May. I lost mine when we had an unusually cold winter in 2013/14 and I plan to get another. It is a great plant and never saw a bug or fungus on it.

Oh, thank you so much for sharing your experience and information with me. I am so excited to grow this 'new to me' plant this season.

Mary

I especially like the grey-green foliage. I find that it doesn't bloom very well for me--perhaps because it doesn't get enough sun.

I have grown these for a few years. The hummers love it and it will spread a little. I think it blooms the first part of June. I am in the middle of NC.

I have grown it for several years here in Oregon, and learned quite a few things. One thing is that it takes a very quickly from cutting. This is useful because it does not like the clay soil that we have in the garden. It also does not like wet winters which we are famous for. When I bought it the person selling it told me not to give up if I thought it was dead early in the season. She said that some years it takes until mid to late June before it even peaks out of the ground. That definitely held true for me.