Beard flower: location, winter hardiness & propagation

The beard flower immediately catches the eye, especially with its bright blue flowers. It gives off a pleasant scent that also attracts bees and bumblebees.

The beard flower (Caryopteris) is a popular and easy-care ornamental plant for the garden. We show you how to plant them correctly and introduce the most beautiful varieties. There are also tips for successful wintering.

Beard flower: flowering time, characteristics and origin

The beard flower (Caryopteris x clandonensis) is a species from the beard flower genus (Caryopteris) from China. The genus belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae) and comprises seven different types. The hybrid was created by crossing two species Caryopteris x clandonensiswhich has become very popular in our latitudes as an ornamental plant for the garden. The bearded flower is in bloom from July to September and shines in a bright blue. The deciduous subshrub grows up to a meter tall and wide, loses its gray-green foliage in winter and then often freezes back. However, the beard flower is perennial, sprouts again and again in spring and blooms again in summer. An aromatic scent emanates from the green leaves.

Is the beard flower friendly to bees? The beard flower is not only beautiful to look at, it also delights bees and bumblebees. The insects use the flower nectar as a source of food in late summer and serve as a pollinator for the bearded flower.

The most beautiful varieties

Of the seven species that occur in Asia, only the hybrid is here Caryopteris x clandonensis relevant. She was dating Caryopteris incana and Caryopteris mongholica bred. Again, different types of beard flowers emerged, some of which we present here:

• Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Heavenly Blue’: The beard flower ‘Heavenly Blue’ forms a particularly large number of shoots and therefore also many flowers that shine in a deep blue or purple.
• Caryopteris x clandonensis "Kew Blue": This variety, on the other hand, does not grow very strongly and, in addition to the blue flowers, is particularly noticeable for its gray-green foliage.
• Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Grand Bleu’: At over 100 cm, the Grand Bleu ’beard flower can be relatively large and impresses with very dark blue flowers and dark green foliage.
• Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Dark Knight’: The beard flower ‘Dark Knight’ forms flowers in a midnight blue color and is up to 100 cm tall.
• Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Blue Balloon’: The flowers of the bearded flower ‘Blue Balloon’ form spherical associations and the shrub itself grows spherical and compact.
• Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Blue Sparrow’: The bearded flower Blue Sparrow ’develops dark blue flowers and is around 70 cm tall. The leaves are shiny.

Planting a beard flower: location and procedure

The location of the beard flower should be protected, as sunny and dry to fresh as possible. A certain amount of soil moisture is beneficial, but waterlogging is much worse tolerated than drought. Especially in winter, heavy and wet soils are a problem for the bearded flower. The soil should be humus, loose and slightly acidic or alkaline, because the bearded flower has no problems with lime. When you plant the beard flower, you should keep a distance of at least 50 cm from other plants. The best time to plant is in spring so that the beard flower can take root. Planting can also be done in autumn. Dig a hole about twice the size of the root ball. If the soil is very heavy, some sand can be mixed in to increase the permeability. Depending on the garden soil, mix in a little compost and place the bearded flower in the bed. Now fill in all the gaps with soil, press the substrate against the surface and water well.

The beard flower can also be planted in a pot. A drainage layer should be created here before planting in order to avoid waterlogging. But what soil does the beard flower need in the bucket? A high-quality soil that remains structurally stable for a long time is suitable as a substrate. For example, ours is ideal for this Plantura organic potting soil at. It contains humus and is slightly acidic with a pH value of 6.5. It supplies flowering plants with the most important nutrients and can store water without becoming wet. It also contains expanded clay, which improves permeability and structural stability. In order to increase the permeability even more, more expanded clay can be mixed in.

Combine beard flower: what goes well with the beard flower?

There are many plants that you can combine with the beard flower. Above all, other shrubs fit well, so that no plant goes down next to the other. For example, roses go well with the blue flowers of the beard flower (pink) outstanding. Also lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) looks good next to the beard flower. Yellow flowering cinquefoil (Potentilla) also harmonize with the flowers of the beard flower and can be used as ground cover in the surrounding area. It is important that the planting partners have similar location requirements as the beard flower. That said, they should prefer dry, well-drained soil and plenty of sun.

Transplant beard flower:

If the location proves to be unsuitable, the beard flower is transplanted in spring. Since it has very deep roots, you have to dig deep so that all roots are caught. A correspondingly deep planting hole should then be dug at the new location. After planting, you can do the as usual Maintaining the beard flower. Beard flowers in the pot are repotted in the spring, as soon as the old pot is completely rooted.

Is the beard flower hardy?

As long as it is planted in a sheltered location, the beard flower is hardy. Temperatures from - 23 to - 17 ° C are tolerated for a short period of time. The beard flower can freeze back to the base. But since it sprouts strongly in the following spring, this is not a problem. To help the bearded flower through the cold season, you can mulch the soil around the wood, for example with a thick layer of leaves. The most important thing is to protect the roots.

If you keep the beard flower in the pot, it should be placed on a block of wood. The pot is then wrapped in jute or similar protective material. Winter storage at temperatures as low as 0 ° C in a sheltered place is ideal. So that the earth does not dry out completely, it should be watered moderately from time to time.

Propagate beard flower

It is possible to multiply the beard flower, but the first bloom is a long time coming. In addition to propagation by seeds, beard flower cuttings are mainly used.

For propagation by cuttings, cut young shoots about 10 to 15 cm long from the mother plant in July / August. These should only be slightly lignified and cut off with a sharp knife. Remove the lower leaves and place the cuttings in a nutrient-poor growing medium. Here you can, for example, our Plantura organic herb & seed compost use that is specially designed for the needs of young plants. It consists of natural raw materials and does not contain peat. If the shoots are already heavily lignified, rooting powder should be used. A bright window sill out of direct sunlight is a good location for germination. Temperatures between 16 and 18 ° C are necessary for the cuttings to grow. Keep the soil moist and repot the young plants if necessary until they are big enough for the flowerbed.

tip: The softer the shoots, the easier it is for them to take root. You can also overwinter the mother plant in the greenhouse and then cut the freshly driven head cuttings in March.

Alternatively, you can collect ripe fruits from the beard flowers in late summer or early autumn and use the seeds for propagation. The seeds are then dried and stored over the winter at room temperature. Sowing should be done in March or April. The seeds are lightly covered with soil and the pot is covered with a plastic bag or glass.

Is the beard flower poisonous?

The beard flower is not poisonous to humans or pets. So you don't have to worry about dogs, cats and children and you can plant the bearded flower in the garden without hesitation.

Would you like to have more bee-friendly plants in your garden? We give tips on Planting a bee pasture.