did you know?

Bluebeard's botanical name, is derived from the Greek "nut," and "wing," which refer to the winged fruits, and Clandon, Surrey, where it was first cultivated.

general maintenance:

Remove spent blooms to promote flowering. Remove winterkilled stems or cut shrub back to the ground in late winter or early spring to encourage bushy growth.

pests/diseases:

Bluebeard is relatively carefree.

how to sow/plant:

Choose a sunny to partly sunny site with well-drained soil, making sure there is enough room for shrub to reach its mature spread. In early spring, dig a hole twice the width of container or root ball. Set plant at same depth or slightly higher than it was in the pot or, if balled, level with top of root ball. Fill in hole around plant with soil, and mound to form a 2-inch-high ridge around perimeter of the hole to act as a catchbasin. If plant is balled in synthetic fabric, remove carefully before planting. Natural-fiber burlap may be left around root ball and then peeled back once plant is set in hole. Water thoroughly, filling the basin and allowing water to settle several times. Spread 2 inches of mulch around plant.

water and fertilize:

Maintain uniform soil moisture the first season. Be sure the soil is moist before the ground freezes in fall. Each spring before growth begins, apply an all-purpose fertilizer, following label directions. Once shrub is established, usually by the third year, water only in times of drought.

garden hint:

When blooms begin to fade in late summer, a light pruning will encourage more flowers.

features:

• Attractive Flowers
• Attractive Foliage
• Attracts Butterflies
• Deciduous

garden uses:

• Edging
• Flowerbed borders

other uses:

• Cut Flower

combine with:

other plants with gray-green or silver foliage like wormwood Russian sage and English lavender