Description

Lil Miss Sunshine® Bluebeard (Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Lil Miss Sunshine') shows off vivid color from spring through frost! Among the most colorful of all garden plants, spring foliage emerges bright gold lasting all summer. In late summer, blue flowers begin to appear and persist through mid-autumn with unforgettable contrast. It's late season bloom time brings interest to the landscape when not much else is blooming and the nectar-rich flowers provide food for pollinating insects and hummingbirds. Compact size works well in perennial gardens or landscape beds. Excellent as part of the mixed border or in the perennial bed, it adds a shot of bold color to the late summer garden. Fertilize with a controlled release fertilizer in spring. In Eastern Kansas, this cultivar performs WELL with just about everything nature has to challenge it! Heat and drought are tolerated well. Cold tolerance is no problem for us in zone 6. Caryopteris gives great winter interest with it's dried flowers. Tip dieback is common after cold winters. The only maintenance this shrub needs is cutting back about 1/2 way in early spring before new growth emerges. In Northern areas it may die completely to the ground. The plant blooms on the current season's growth so will flower even if cut to the ground in spring. Great plant for berms or hot West or South exposures in full sun. No disease or pest problems except root rot; do not plant in rich moist soils or root rot will probably occur. Even when not blooming, the intense gold foliage looks good on it's own or combines well with earlier season blooming red, purple, blue, or magenta flowering plants. Combine with crapemyrtles and butterflybush to create a late season "all you can eat" buffet for pollinators! All Proven Winners® plants are legally propagated, healthy and vigorous, true to name, and tagged with color pictures and growing information.