Caryopteris 'Lisaura' HINT OF GOLD

UK breeder Peter Catt from Liss Forest Nurseries is mad about purple and blue. Among his over 60 plant introductions there are plenty of bluebeards, perovskias, and plumbagos with violet or blue flowers. He began breeding bluebeards from 1998 and this time he crossbred caryopteris x clandonensis and caryopteris incana which makes larger leaves and interestingly composed inflorescence. It was named HINT OF GOLD and patented in USA as PP20608, and in Europe as EU25088 in 2009. Awarded Bronze Medal at Plantarium 2008.

HINT OF GOLD bluebeard is a showstopper due to its vibrant golden chartreuse leaves. They are larger than on most other bluebeards – up to 5.5 cm long and 3 cm wide, deciduous, and bear interesting fragrance when crushed. They cover the plant completely and make it an attractive item long before it begins to bloom. Flowers are pure violet, composed symmetrically around the stem in profusion in its upper parts and at the top. They are always occupied by bumble bees, butterflies and similar insects, begin blooming in mid to late summer, and last until mid autumn. The plant grows fast into a bushy, upright, well-branched shrub 80-90 cm tall and wide.

Bluebeard needs to be pruned hard every spring – cut back two thirds of previous year’s growth to encourage prolific branching that will secure even more profuse flowering. It is soil tolerant, however, it does best in fertile, very well-drained soil in full sun. It is hardy to about -25°C, in free-draining soil even to -27°C (USDA zone 5b). In zones 4 and 5a it acts like a perennial.

Last update 29-01-2020