About

Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Blue Balloon' is a well-formed, rounded deciduous shrub featuring upright branches and elongated, aromatic leaves that are dark green above and silvery-gray beneath. This plant produces clusters of fragrant dark blue flowers from late summer into autumn.

About the genus

Caryopteris includes both deciduous shrubs and herbaceous perennials, characterized by their fragrant, uncomplicated leaves. These plants produce small blue or white flowers that appear in dense clusters in the axils during late summer and autumn.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil type
Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisture
Well-drained
Aspect
East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness
H4

Plant details

Plant type
Shrubs
Habit
Bushy
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
0.5-1 metres
Spread
0.5-1 metres
Time to full height
5-10 years
Suggested uses
Cottage and informal garden, City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Mediterranean climate plants, Wildlife gardens
Fragrance
Foliage

Care notes

Cultivation
Grow in moderately fertile, light, well-drained soil in full sun. In areas where summers are cool or winter temperatures fall below -15°C it is ideal for planting near a warm sunny wall
Pruning
Pruning group 6
Propagation
Propagate y softwood cuttings which can be taken between spring and midsummer; semi-ripe cuttings from mid to late summer and hardwood cuttings from late autumn to midwinter
Pest resistance
May be susceptible to capsid bug which causes leaf distortion
Disease resistance
May be susceptible to honey fungus