Read at :
http://www.bestlongislandmasonry.com/planning-for-desert-gardening
http://www.finegardening.com/caryopteris-x-clandonensis-longwood-blue-blue-mist-shrub.aspx
Caryopteris × clandonensis ‘Longwood Blue’
Blue bluebeard
DETA-419 - http://www.soonerplantfarm.com/
This is a shrub, it’s deciduous and it will grow back every and every spring. It’ll often come back healthy and happy and this makes it ideal for desert landscaping. It really is not a tiny shrub, it’ll grow to be anywhere between three and 4 feet high with a width of about 2 feet. This is a lovely plant to use inside your desert landscaping as it really is not only gorgeous with its pretty blue flower clusters and silver foliage, it’s also extremely fragrant.
‘Longwood Blue’ is ideal for a mixed or shrub border. It’s an attractive woody shrub up to 3 feet tall and 5 feet wide with silvery leaves and violet-blue flowers.. The flowers appear along the stems in late summer and early autumn.This plant is relatively drought tolerant and very heat tolerant. The shrub expands as branches that touch the ground form their own roots and may self-seed.
Care:
Grow in well-drained soil that is not overly rich. Trim back in spring to keep rounded clump form. Cut back to 3-inch stems in late winter to promote vigorous branching growth. May need to be hard pruned in spring in areas with severe winters.
Propagation:
Separate rooted stems from parent plant and transplant in early spring. Root cuttings in late spring or early summer.
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Drought tolerance and other advantages:
# A water requirement that is less than average.
# This shrub has been doing quite well in a few xeric gardens here in northwestern New Mexico.
# This plant comes into bloom (in my Philadelphia-area) garden during mid-August, when many other plants are fading. I find saplings of this plant all over my full-sun garden.
# It is very tolerant of our Texas heat, humidity, and lack of rain in the warm months and does very well over the cooler winter months.
# This plant is a joy to grow and is much underused in the South.
# Plant it in full sun in soil that is well-drained, and the Caryopteris will make you look like you have grown a green thumb.
# Well-drained soil is crucial because soggy winter soil is the Caryopteris’ No. 1 enemy.
# Next spring, prune it hard to generate vigorous new growth.
# Full sun to light shade, drought tolerant.
