A mounding evergreen shrub covered in clusters of pale sky-blue flowers from spring into late fall. It brings a cool, soft color to lush gardens and does especially well on the east side of a home.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the shrub schedule in our Landscape Care guide. Too much water pushes leafy growth at the expense of flowers. Slightly longer gaps between waterings keep it compact and blooming.
Pruning
Shape it in late winter to encourage bushy new growth. Frequent shearing cuts down on flowers, and it does not suit tight, formal hedges.
Sun and heat
Morning sun with afternoon shade gives the best color. On hot west walls the flowers fade and the leaves can scorch.
How our designers use it
Soft blue color
Its cool flowers calm a planting of hot orange and yellow and look good against white or tan walls.
Foundation planting
A loose mound softens the base of walls and patios on the east and north sides of a home.
Covering banks
Its wide, sprawling habit can fill a slope or a large bed with a few plants.
Good to know
Around the pool
No thorns, but it drops flowers steadily, and the sticky seed heads cling to towels and swimsuits. We keep it a little back from walkways and the water’s edge.
