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Dark Knight Bluebeard

Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Dark Knight'

Nature Hills Nursery
$5799
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Plant Size

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: Provide at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun daily to ensure the deepest amethyst-blue color and strongest stem growth. While it can handle light afternoon shade in blistering climates, too much shade results in floppy stems and sparse flowering.
  • Soil: This shrub demands sharp drainage and thrives in loose, rocky, or sandy soils. If you have heavy clay, plant it in a raised bed or a mound to keep the roots high and dry, as "wet feet" during winter is the quickest way to kill a Bluebeard.

Watering Requirements

During its first season, water deeply twice a week to help the root system sink deep into the soil. Once established, Dark Knight is exceptionally drought tolerant and prefers to dry out between sessions. Overwatering or inconsistent moisture often leads to root rot or a reduction in the essential oils that give the foliage its signature spicy scent.

Pruning Tips

Because this shrub blooms exclusively on new wood, you should cut the entire plant back to about 6 to 12 inches above the ground in late winter or very early spring. This "hard rejuvenation" acts like a reset button, encouraging a flush of vigorous new stems that will carry the summer blooms. Avoid pruning in the fall, as the old wood helps protect the crown from freezing temperatures during dormancy.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a light logic of balanced, slow release fertilizer once in early spring as new growth emerges. Avoid using high nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer, because this forces soft, succulent growth that won't have time to harden off before the first frost. In most garden soils, a simple layer of compost around the base is more than enough to keep this light feeder happy.

Delivery and Shipping

Preorder Shipping Schedule

We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.

Zone 3-4 Week of March 30th
Zone 5 Week of March 16th
Zone 6-12 Week of March 2nd


Shipping Rates

Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50 $9.99
$50 - $99.99 $14.99
$100 - $149.99 $16.99
$150 - $198.99 $24.99
$199+ FREE

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The Dark Knight Bluebeard (Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Dark Knight') adds deep blue color and pleasant fragrance to your garden! Blooming in late summer when many other flowering plants have receded, this sturdy deciduous shrub will continue blooming until frost!

The aromatic gray-green foliage is lovely all spring and summer, and in late summer the stems transform into airy spires of lavender-blue! Forming in clusters at intervals along the flowering stems, the flower presentation resembles Salvia, Chaste trees, or herbs from the distance!

Hardy shrubs throughout USDA planting zones 5 to 9, the Bluebeard is sometimes known as the Blue Spirea, with its fizzy blooms resembling the Spiraea family. The slender, light foliage and puffy flowers create an airy texture in the landscape, growing just 2-3 feet tall and about 2 feet wide.

Planting and Application:

Dark Knight is a compact though prolific, this lovely variety layers well in larger gardens and creates dramatic solo effects in smaller urban spaces such as the rooftop, a small yard, or in courtyard gardens. Plant a row in the front of your Cottage garden to draw attention with a bank of color or plant in a cluster to draw attention to a central focal point!

Regardless of how and where you choose to place your Bluebeard, you'll find it attracts attention from butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects as well, making it an excellent choice for butterfly and pollinator garden designs.

Add several plants as "Thrillers" in big, colorful containers or half-whiskey barrels, anywhere in your landscape. They will perform beautifully on the pool deck or on either side of your entryway. Go as formal or informal as you'd like with these tidy and easy-care plants! Plant a long row along a hot dry sidewalk, in a Rock Garden, or as a low hedge near your patio and pathways!

  • Lavender-Blue Flower Spires
  • Mid-Summer to Fall Flowers
  • Small, Mounding Low-Growing Shrub
  • Aromatic Gray-Green Leaves
  • Attracts Pollinators!
  • Great In Containers, Edging, Beds & Borders, & Specimens

#ProPlantTips for Care:

This Bluebeard is a fast grower and prefers a full-sun location. Low water needs mean this variety can handle drought or drier conditions. A 3-4 inch deep layer of mulch around the base of the plants is a great idea to retain additional needed moisture. Plus, once established, they'll become drought-tolerant.

A deciduous shrub, but acting like a perennial in colder growing zones, where it dies back during the winter, but returns year after year, making it an excellent long-term investment! Pruning Bluebeard in early spring promotes blooms and longevity, and maintains the often preferred compact and mounded shape. It is best to prune your Caryopteris in early spring to reduce the size and prune off any winter-damaged branches.

  • Full Sun & Some Shade
  • Almost Any Well-Drained Soil Type
  • Moderate Moisture Needs - Drought Tolerant Once Established
  • Blooms On New Wood - Prune Early Spring
  • Deer Seldom Bother These - Pest Resistant

Make the Dark Knight Bluebeard bush a welcome addition to your garden and create a summer-to-fall wildlife attraction. Order today at NatureHills.com to promote color and vibrance throughout the season!

Growing Zones 5-9

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