The Blue mistflower’s flat top cluster of disc flowers are made up of small tubular blue flowers that’s sit on top of a 1-2-foot-tall downy purplish stems. (Photo by Ginny Rosenkranz)
Blue mistflower is a native herbaceous perennial (Conoclinium coelestinum) that looks like the annual Ageratum, and sometimes even called a hardy ageratum.
When you see photos of the flowers you see drifts of tiny sky-blue fuzzy flowers held above the green foliage, and you think that it would be perfect in your garden.
It thrives in full sun to partial shade and organically rich moist soils.
As a native plant it can be found growing in moist ditch banks as a border around a pond.
What could be a better plant for our wetlands or on the edges of our ponds, creeks and rivers?
Reading a bit more about the plant can give a few clues to think twice about planting this beautiful plant that flowers from July to October, it has a very aggressive rhizomatous root system and can spread swiftly.
Those beautiful sky-blue flowers should be trimmed back directly after flowering, or you will discover how quickly the seeds of this lovely native plant can spread. Many articles stress not to plant in small gardens due to its aggressive nature.
On the other hand, if you have a large area, a meadow or naturalized area, a freshwater restoration site that needs color and the blooming flowers with nectar to provide our native pollinating butterflies, moths and bees, the Blue mistflower is the perfect choice.
There are also native insects that feed on the Mistflower as well including the Clymene Moth the lined Ruby tiger Moth and the Three Lined Flower Moth.
Each flat top cluster of disc flowers are made up of small tubular blue flowers that’s sit on top of a 1-2-foot-tall downy purplish stems.
The clusters of star shaped flowers can hold 35-70 flowers per cluster, almost covering the foliage with their blue color.
Having a flat top for the clusters of flowers creates perfect landing pads for the nectar loving pollinators.
The green leaves are arranged opposite each other on the stems with a serrated or coarsely toothed margin, growing up to 3 inches long and 2 inches wide.
The plants can be planted with other natives for a lovely fall garden including cut leaf coneflower, sunflowers, Goldenrod and White Woodland Asters.
(Editor’s Note: Ginny Rosenkranz is a commercial horticulture specialist with the University of Maryland Extension.)
