Blue Flowers Collection

 

Here is a “collection of blues” for your blue garden. If you like blue flowers, you are in good company.  Bees like blue flowers. Blue flowers are less common than other colors.  Mother Nature Network “Science of Blue Flowers” states blue is created naturally by a common plant pigment called anthocyanin.   

Butterflies like to pollinate  yellow and reds.  As always, there is an exception to the rule.  Butterflies and bees like the intense blue of Texas Blue Bonnets.

• Bees are attracted to blue colors and blue-violet flowers.  Grow blue flowers and see bees come from “out of the blue” to your garden.    
• Blue flowers are more rare in the plant world than other colors.         

Native Blue Wildflowers for Pollinators 

Fall native perennials that are in the blue range:  Smooth Blue Aster, Blue Wood Aster, New England Aster, Aromatic Aster and Ironweed.          

Symphyotrichum laeve Smooth Blue Aster looks like a cluster of small one inch blue daisies.  Smooth Blue Asters forms clumps.  As a native wildflower, grows in sunny dry meadows and roadsides in Fall.     

Symphyotrichum cordifolium  Blue Wood Aster looks good below trees and wooded settings.  Grows in sun and shade.  Plant near the edge of shade and sun where tree shade meets sunlight on the ground.  

Symphyotrichum novae-anglia  New England Aster is a deeper blue to purple two foot tall and vigorous plant that grows well in dry and the back borders of home gardens.   New England Aster also can be a deep pink color.  New England Asters are beautiful Fall flowers.  For a naturalized garden, New England Asters are easy to establish and create spectacular deep purple and  pink meadows of wildflowers.   

Symphyotrichum oblongolium  Aromatic Aster  The name says it all.  Crush some Aromatic Aster leaf in your hand and smell the intense balsam fragrance.  On a late summer day, take a stroll through the garden and follow your nose to the warm spicy scent of  blue Aromatic Asters.      

Also, Asters thrive in clay soils.  Native wildflowers that grow in clay are hardy enough to establish strong roots through dense clay.

Vernonia fasciculata Ironweed

Vernonia fasciculata Ironweed grows in moist soil. Ironweed likes sun and part shade. Vernonia fasciculata grows two to four feet tall.  Ironweed has an intense purple color and upright form.  Naturalize Ironweed to form a lush purple blanket.  Ironweed is a striking plant where it grows. Ironweed is one of my favorite plants.  You can not miss it in a landscape in Fall. 

Phacelia campanularia California Bluebell

Phacelia campanularia California Bluebell is called the Desert Bluebell. California Bluebells bloom in Spring. As an important native wildflower in California deserts, the California Bluebell supports native bees in California. The native blue orchard bee is in the news for California agriculture pollination of crops and almond trees blue orchard bee.

Lupinus texensis Texas Bluebonnet 

Lady Bird Johnson, a native Texan, made another Texas native, the Texas Blue Bonnet wildflower famous as a “Texas native.”  She campaigned for wildflower use for Texas highway beautification projects.  Many took notice of her tireless efforts to save her state wildflowers and the blue beauty.  As a Presidential Lady, she is best remembered for her work in wildflower conservation.  Her name is linked with Texas Blue Bonnets and planting wildflowers. Bees like the Lupinus texensis Texas Blue Bonnet.

The website LBJ, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a wildflower data base online at wildflower.org.

Linum Lewisii Lewis Flax

Linum lewisii Lewis Flax is a native blue wildflower used as forage for wildlife.  It is described as a semi-evergreen and has a semi-woody base.  Lewis Flax grows well in western states.  Lewis Flax is a restoration plant for soil erosion. Livestock and wildlife graze on Lewis Flax. Birds eat Lewis Flax seeds in spring and winter. Plants stay green through the growing season.  As a flax plant, Lewis Flax can be used as a fiber.  Another product of Lewis Flax is linseed oil.

Aquilegia caerulea Rocky Mountain Columbine 

Aquilegia caerulea Rocky Mountain Columbine is also called Colorado Columbine. The Rocky Mountain Columbine is the state flower of Colorado. The Rocky Mountain Columbine grows to two feet and is found throughout the Rocky Mountains.  A well-photographed blue wildflower, Aquilegia caerulea is found in aspen groves, forests and meadows of the Rockies.

Gilia capitata Globe Gilia 

Gilia capitata Globe Gilia is a favorite flower of native bees. This deep blue flowers grows in well drained soils in open sunny areas.  Globe Gilia grows on a single stem up to two feet. Globe Gilia is an annual and blooms in April and May.  Gilia capitata is a member of the Phlox family. 

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Narrowleaf Mountain Mint

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Narrowleaf Mountain Mint has clusters of white and pale lavender flowers and pale green foliage.  This native mint grows 2 to 4 feet.  Bees feed on Narrowleaf Mountain Mint all summer. Native, honey and bumble bees love the mint family  Narrowleaf Mountain Mint likes moist to dry soil and sun and part shade. Mountain Mint makes a great pollinator garden plant.

Mentha arvensis Wild Mint

The Mint family is recognized by its square stems. Mentha arvensis Wild Mint grows well in wetlands.  It spreads easily and covers a large area quickly.  Bees like mints to make honey from a rich supply of nectar.

Agastache foeniculum Anise Hyssop

Anise hyssop

Agastache foeniculum Anise hyssop is a member of the Mint family.  Anise hyssop is a tall aromatic that grows 3 to 5 feet.  Anise Hyssop is frequently used in wildflower and butterfly gardens.  It has a strong spicy smell.  Some say Anise hyssop says licorice and mint, fennel or an astringent smell.  Anise is used as an edible and flavoring in cooking.

Allium stellatum Prairie Onion

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Allium stellatum Prairie Onion looks like a large chive or a wild onion.   This is a fun ornamental plant that grows as an annual in the East. This purple globe ball grows up to 3 feet tall and has a 3 to 4 inch diameter flower ball.  Butterflies like Prairie Onion.

Camassia quamash Blue Camas

Camassia quamash Blue Camas is another onion-like blue native wildflower.  Blue Camas is an edible used by Native Americans. Blue Camas likes moist acidic soil and sunny prairies.  It is also called Wild Hyacinth.

Lupinus perennis Sundial Lupine

Sundial lupine

Lupinus perennis Sundial Lupine has blue pea-like flowers.  As a legume, Sundial Lupine fixes Nitrogen in the soil. What this means is that the mineral Nitrogen stays in the soil. Nitrogen is one of the top mineral nutrient plants need to grow.  Planting Sundial Lupines is a sustainable alternative to commercial addition of fertilizers. Overuse of fertilizers in runoff pollutes water quality in streams and rivers.  Lupines like uplands and sub-alpine terrains.

Nemophilia maculata Five Spot

Nemophilia maculata Five spot has a bell shape and five petals. As a short flower, under six inches, Five Spot grows best when it is not surrounded by tall wildflowers.  Five Spot likes moist soils and some afternoon shade. Five Spot is a short trailing flower habit.

Nemophilia menziesii  Baby Blue Eyes

Nemophilia menziesii Baby Blue Eyes is a Spring wildflower of California. It is often used in wildflower seed mix for its charming look.

Penstemon strictus Rocky Mountain Penstemon

Penstemon strictus Rocky Mountain Penstemon or Rocky Mountain Beardtongue. Rocky Mountain Penstemon has deep blue upright 2 feet spires.  Rocky Mountain is a native wildflower and evergreen in Western regions.

Salvia farinacea or Mealy blue sage

Salvia farinacea Blue sage is a perennial that forms a clumping mound.  The mealy name comes from the whitish and velvety look of flour. Mealy Blue Sage has gray green foliage and a nice sage fragrance.

Tradescantia ohiensis Ohio Spiderwort

Tradescantia ohiensis Ohio Spiderwort has a distinct three blue petal form.  The flower open in the morning and close in the afternoon sun.  Blooms late Spring from May to June.  Tradescantia ohiensis likes dry well drained soils.

Perennials that Grow as Annuals 

Lobelia siphilitica Blue Lobelia is a perennial that grows as an annual.  Blue Lobelia is also known as Blue Cardinal flower and a native of Missouri.  It does well in tended gardens rich in humus and checked for water.  It has identified by its two upper blue petals and three blue lower petals.  This is a very attractive landscape plant that forms as clumps. Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal flower is a bright red lobelia.

Geranium ‘Rozanne’ or Cranesbill is a long blooming blue cultivar of geranium.  It is a low trailing geranium and perennial. Bees like the five petal blue pattern. The deep blue stripes act as arrows to draw bees to the center of the flower. Rozanne Geraniums grow nonstop all summer into Fall. ‘Rozanne’ Geranium is a popular landscaping plant and can grow in sun and partial shade. ‘Rozanne’ Geranium grows best in full sun.

Perovskia atriplicifolia Russian Sage

Perovskia atriplicifolia Russian Sage has a blue-gray and fragrant foliage.  Russian Sage flowers are a lavender blue color.  It is called Russian Sage, but this plant is not a sage in the Salvia family.  It is a mint.  Russian Sage is not a native plant. It is a long blooming perennial in late summer.  Russian Sage is a landscape plant. The foliage scent is strong, similar to rosemary.  It was named  Perennial Plant Association Plant of the Year (1995).

Here are two Blue Flowering Bushes for Bee and Butterfly Pollinator Gardens

Caryopteris x clandonensis  Bluebeard, Blue Mist or Blue Spirea, “Longwood Blue” bush attracts honey bees and bumble bees with Fall blooms.  All pollinators like Blue Mist. Fragrant leaves are a silvery blue color. Blue Mist looks great in a herb garden too.  The Caryopteris bush pairs well with the similar shrub-like Russian Sage. Both grow in sun and dry soils.  Russian Sage blooms first, then the Blue Mist bush to consistently feed pollinators in Fall.  Bluebeard also pairs well with the Narrowleaf Mountain Mint for offering many nectar-filled “mists” of flowers in pollinator gardens

Bluebeard likes moist, well-drained soil in full sun and loams. Bluebeard does not grow in wet soil.  Blue Mist has an attractive woody look in winter gardens. Bluebeard grows 3 to 4 feet.

 

Amsonia hubrichtii Blue Star

In Spring, look forward to small light blue flowers.  This is a lovely upright perennial native to Arkansas.  In Fall, the foliage is pretty golden color.  Butterflies like Blue Star. Grows 2 to 3 feet.  Amsonia hubrichtii is used in rock gardens.  Thin, green showy leaves, the Blue Star is an ornamental plant.   

Amsonia tabernaemontana  Blue Star ‘Montana’

One of the first blue flowers of Spring, Blue Star ‘Montana’ has a broad green leaf.  Amsonia tabernaemontana is used in rain gardens.  Blue Star ‘Montana’ likes moist, loamy soil.  Grows to one feet to a foot and a half height.

A blue flower garden has infinite possibilities of blues in flowers and plants. Add a beautiful Blue Spruce tree, native to the Rocky Mountains.  In the shade, grow a variety of blue hostas. Add blue ornamental grasses like low growing blue fescue and tall Bluestem to round out a Blue garden. Blue flowers can range in color from pale tint of lavender of Narrowleaf Mountain Mint to deep blues of Texas Blue Bonnets.  You can sing the blues from the blues pollinator collection.

References

USDA plant profile

Bee Culture.com

MNN.com

npr.org  “Johnson: First Lady of American Flowers”

wildflower.org

Utah State University Extension