Blue Flowers or Flower Parts

Medium to deep blue falls and standards with the falls being accented by contrasting gold crests at their base are produced in early to midseason, or March to April, atop 30-36" high stems. Sinfonietta Louisiana Iris has been highly popular since its introduction and was awarded an Honorable Mention in 1990 and the Award of Garden Merit in 1992 by the American Iris Society. Louisiana Irises are easy and adaptable, rhizomatous perennials with fans of deep green sword-like foliage and seem as at home in standing water as they do in average moist garden soils. Remember that these plants do most of their growing in fall and winter and so this is when they should be fed and fall is also a great time to divide plants if desired. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 13339

2-3" long, light bluish purple to purple fading to light blue, slightly flaring, tubular flowers are produced in large hanging clusters throughout the growing season, to potentially year-round under warm tropical conditions, and are designed for hummingbird pollination, but may attract bees and butterflies as well. Sky King Iochroma, a selection of Iochroma cyaneum, is a naturally evergreen, loosely branching, tropical shrub with an upright to spreading habit typically growing to about 4-6' high and 2-3' wide. This miniature cousin of the Angel's Trumpet is easily enjoyed as a container plant where not hardy. Site in full sun to partial shade in a fertile, average to well-drained, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Iochroma, Tubeflower, or Mini Angel's Trumpets flower on new growth so keep them growing and healthy for and endless display. Item# 790

An eye-catching yet elegant combination of large lemony-yellow falls are accented by lime-green veining and signals and are topped by contrasting bright white standards that are tipped in yellow and are accented by complimentary green and yellow veining which are then topped by lime-green style arms that are broadly tipped and edged in yellow. Start of Something Big Louisiana Iris is a small to medium-sized plant growing to about 30" high and it flowers very late in the season, typically May. It received an Honorable Mention from the American Iris Society in 2015. Louisiana Irises are easy and adaptable, rhizomatous perennials with fans of deep green sword-like foliage and seem as at home in standing water as they do in average moist garden soils. Remember that these plants do most of their growing in fall and winter and so this is when they should be fed and fall is also a great time to divide plants if desired. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 13346

6" wide rounded clusters of 1" wide deep blue-purple to dark purple trumpet shaped flowers are produced atop sturdy 3' high stalks in summer that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Though recent competition has increased when it comes to reliably cold hardy Agapanthus cultivars, Storm Cloud is still considered to be one of the most reliable, naturally winter dormant cultivars but it will benefit from a breathable mulch in any area that experiences freezing temperatures for extended periods. Somewhat drought resistant once well-established but generally prefers an average moist, fertile, well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site. Deer and rabbit resistant and moderately salt tolerant. Makes an easy and low maintenance container plant where not hardy. Item# 1144

A profusion of sky-blue, 3/4" wide miniature iris-like flowers seemingly cover the clumps of blue-green narrow foliage in spring attracting a variety of smaller pollinators, especially bees and smaller butterflies. Suwannee Blue-Eyed Grass, a selection of Sisyrhinchium nashii, is considered to be one of the best Blue-Eyed Grasses for garden and landscape settings due to its long flowering season, mannerly clump forming habit, as well as for its adaptability. Blue-Eyed Grass is generally rabbit and deer resistant, disease and pest free, and is resistant to short term drought once fully established. Provide a full sun to partially shaded site in average moist, fertile, average to well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 10589

Often throughout summer, small, fragrant beautiful bell-shaped nearly white to blue flowers with gracefully recurving 'petals' (in Clematis it is the large colorful sepals that we often most enjoy) of light blue, blue, or purple. Grow the Swamp Leather Flower as a small perennial herbaceous vine that may top out at 5' but can reach 9' high. It can be cut back to 1-2' in later winter after the buds have begun to swell. Item# 10224.

Royal purple, 1/2" blooms that are edged in white lace, are born in drooping clusters from spring or early summer until frost and attract butterflies and bees. The nectar rich flowers are followed by grape-like clusters of 1/2" golden berries giving it the name of 'Golden Dewdrop'. Sweet Memories Purple Sky Flower is naturally a large multi-stemmed tropical shrub and can be trained into tree standards or use it as a hedge or screen in mild winter climates. In mild winters in zones 8B and 9, well-established plants may act as a die-back perennials or they can easily be overwintered as a container plants. Item# 579

The heavily ruffled deep blue-violet falls and standards are accented by nicely contrasting yellow signals all topped by a trio of greenish style arems with violet tips. Swirling Waters Louisiana Iris flowers in early midseason or April and is a vigorous selection growing to 42-44" high. Louisiana Irises are easy and adaptable, rhizomatous perennials with fans of deep green sword-like foliage and seem as at home in standing water as they do in average moist garden soils. Remember that these plants do most of their growing in fall and winter and so this is when they should be fed and fall is also a great time to divide plants if desired. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 13455

The wispy and whimsical, but sturdy, elongating, and often eventually branching, flower spikes are adorned with small, light purple to light purple-blue, funnel-shaped shaped flowers from late winter or early spring and well into fall attracting a variety of smaller pollinators. Texas Vervain, Verbena halei, is a small, clump forming, herbaceous, native perennial that emerges from a basal rosette of foliage in spring and is adorned with medium to dark green, spatulate to oblong, serrated foliage and growing to about 18-24" high and 8-16" wide by the end of the growing season. This is a tough and easy to grow, deer and drought resistant, smaller growing native perennial with one of the longer flowering periods of most native perennials. It should lend itself to use in naturalized areas like roadside plantings and shorter meadows as well as a mixed perennial borders or whimsical container specimens. Texas Vervain is native to the south central and south eastern US as far west as southern Arizona, as far east as Florida, and north to lower central Arkansas. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in well-drained, loamy to sandy, average moist soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 13579

Large intense deep blue flowers emerge from tall spikes beginning in spring and continuing throughout the growing season and into fall. Van Remsen Salvia, an Anise Sage or chance hybrid, is an excellent nectar plant for hummingbirds and may also be visited by larger butterflies. Unlike many of the Salvia guaranitica selections available Van Remsen is a clump forming vigorous growing perennial that can hit 7' high bringing the flowers closer to the hummingbirds and towering over most other garden perennials. This cultivar was discovered in the garden of James Van Remsen of Louisiana and was named and introduced by Salvia guru Richard Dufresne of North Carolina. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in an average moist, well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12118

Large creamy yellow, white, and green foliage acts as the backdrop for large hanging clusters of 3" wide, sky blue trumpet shaped flowers that are produced on new growth throughout the summer and into fall. The Variegated Blue Sky Vine is a vigorous twining tropical vine that revels in the warmth of summer and this form appears to be just as vigorous and sun loving as the solid green form. Evergreen in frost free locations, establish in spring once the danger of frost has past as a die-back perennial vine in zones 8-9, or it can easily be maintained as a container plant where not hardy. Item# 1234

Light blue narrow rays surround the eye of contrasting yellow disc flowers sit atop the neat mounds of foliage beginning in late summer and continuing into fall. The nectar rich flowers attract a variety of smaller pollinators. Wood's Light Blue New York Aster, a selection of Symphyotrichum novi-belgii or Aster novi-belgii, is a 8-12" x 8-12" compact selection of the species that is a good choice as a replacement for fall mums and can be enjoyed as both a container plant as well as near the front of the border in the garden and landscape. Provide a full to partly shaded site in an average moist, average to well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 13151