Blue Empire Bluebeard (Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Elst01' BLUE EMPIRE)
kare-ee-OP-ter-iss ex klan-don-EN-sis 'Elst01' BLUE EMPIRE

Deciduous Perennial Shrub, Rounded in the Lamiaceae Family
A fast-growing, award-winning Dutch bluebeard with intense deep blue flowers and grey-green foliage.

Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Elst01' BLUE EMPIRE (US Plant Patent 30,494) was bred by F.J.C. Elst of Boomkwekerij Elst in the Netherlands, discovered as a chance seedling in a production field of 'First Choice' in 2011. It's a fast-growing, bushy bluebeard valued for its intense deep blue flowers set against grey-green foliage.

Blue Empire blooms in mid-to-late summer, producing large flower clusters that are a strong draw for bees and butterflies. It forms a rounded, upright shrub and, like other caryopteris, dies back to the ground in cold winters, resprouting from the base each spring.

Pros

  • Intense deep blue flowers on a fast-growing, bushy plant
  • Large flower clusters strongly attract bees and butterflies
  • Attractive grey-green foliage
  • Award-winning European introduction (KVBC Bronze, GrootGroenPlus Bronze 2014)

Cons

  • Needs full sun and well-drained, fertile soil
  • Top growth is only reliably hardy to about Zone 7-8, though roots survive colder
  • Dies back to the ground most winters, like most caryopteris
Highlights A fast-growing, award-winning Dutch bluebeard cultivar (US Plant Patent 30,494) bred by F.J.C. Elst, valued for intense deep blue flowers and grey-green foliage.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 33 - 40 inches tall. 18 - 24 inches wide.
Growth Rate Fast
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 5a - 8b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Full Sun, Medium, Perennial, Showy Flowers, Shrub
Bloom Period July to August
Flower Color Deep Blue
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/13 - 09/20
2024 : 05/01 - 09/21
2023 : 06/21 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!