Caryopteris

Caryopteris
Caryopteris divaricata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Lamiaceae
Genus:	Caryopteris Bunge
Species
See text

Caryopteris (bluebeard; Chinese: 莸属 you shu) is a genus of 16 species of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae (formerly often placed in the family Verbenaceae), native to eastern and southern Asia.^[1][2][3][4]

They are herbaceous plants or small shrubs growing to 1–4 m tall. The leaves are opposite, simple ovate to lanceolate, with an entire or crenate margin; they are often aromatic. The blue or white flowers are pollinated by butterflies and bumblebees. The fruit is a four-valved capsule containing four seeds.^[2][3][4]

Species

• Caryopteris aureoglandulosa (Vaniot) C.Y.Wu
• Caryopteris bicolor (Roxb. ex Hardw.) Mabb.
• Caryopteris divaricata Maxim. - Common cultivars include 'Snow Fairy'
• Caryopteris forrestii Diels
• Caryopteris glutinosa Rehd.
• Caryopteris grata Benth.
• Caryopteris incana (Thunb. ex Houtt.) Miq.
• Caryopteris jinshajiangensis Y.K.Yang & X.D.Cong
• Caryopteris mongholica Bunge
• Caryopteris nepetifolia (Benth.) Maxim.
• Caryopteris odorata (Ham. ex Roxb.) Rob.
• Caryopteris paniculata C.B.Clarke
• Caryopteris siccanea W.W.Smith
• Caryopteris tangutica Maxim.
• Caryopteris terniflora Maxim.
• Caryopteris trichosphaera W.W.Smith

Sources:^[2][3]

Cultivation and uses

Though several Caryopteris species are grown in botanical gardens, as ornamental plants the species have largely been superseded in gardens by the hybrid Caryopteris × clandonensis (C. incana × C. mongholica). The accidental cross that produced it occurred in the garden of Arthur Simmonds at Clandon, near Guildford, Surrey.^[5] In 1930, wishing to propagate C. mongholica, he gathered seeds from a plant that was growing near C. mastacanthus. When the seedlings eventually flowered in their second year, hybrids appeared. The final selection, however, was made of a self-sown volunteer that appeared under C. mastacanthus, and eventually smothered it. It began winning Royal Horticultural Society medals in 1933.^[6][7] This small, deciduous, aromatic shrub has grey-green leaves and produces masses of blue flowers in late summer.^[8] There are several cultivars with flowers in shades of blue or white, including 'Blue Mist', 'Heavenly Blue', 'Longwood Blue', 'Dark Knight', 'Summer Sorbet' and 'Pershore'.

The cultivars 'Arthur Simmonds',^[9] 'First Choice'^[10] and 'Worcester Gold'^[11] have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

C. × clandonensis, an unusual plant in American gardens in the 1960s,^[12] has become more familiar there, especially in xeriscaping.

Like Buddleja, the woody stems can die back in the winter, particularly in colder climates and on heavy soils. They prefer well-drained, sandy soil in full sun, but does not need especially rich soil or constant moisture.

Leaves and herbaceous stems have a terpene aroma like eucalyptus, especially when lightly bruised.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caryopteris.

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