Southwest Plant of the Month – Blue Mist Flower – Conoclinium greggii (Eupatorium greggii)

Dec 5, 2018 | Plant of the Month

Plant Form:  Flower
Plant Type:  Perennial
Sunlight:  Sun, Partial Shade
Plant Size:  2′ x 3′
Water Usage:  Low
Colors:  Blue, Purple

Physical Description:  Fuzzy blue-lavender masses of flowers on short stems above a thick green ground covering foliage. Spreads by underground rhizomes.

Care and Maintenance:  Needs limited but regular water to avoid sparse foliage and to maintain blooming, especially in full sun. Potentially invasive if over watered.

Gardener’s notes:  Accepts part shade and a variety of soils. Rhizominous roots can be divided for transplants in spring. Native from west Texas to SE Arizona. Look for cultivar “Boothill”. Most other similar commercially available Mist or Floss flowers, including Eupatoriums and Ageratums, require more irrigation.

Southwest Plant of the Month material courtesy of NMSU ACES
http://desertblooms.nmsu.edu/plantadvisor/