Dark Knight Shrub ‘Blue Mist, Bluebeard’

Talk about a shrub that can do it all. Extreme cold tolerance, check, hot desert sun, check, beautiful blue flowers, check.  Blue Mist is a hybrid between Caryopteris incana and Caryopteris mongolica. Something must of clicked because this shrub is better than both its parents in almost all ways.  The flowers are rich in nectar, so it attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.  The long, narrow grey-green leaves are quite aromatic, and deer hate so if your in outlying areas of town they will avoid it. Blue Mist is deciduous  and in winter is a good time to prune back if needed. Blue mist will require a little extra water during the hottest months, but otherwise its a desert winner.