Evening mistflower
September 19, 2007
Blue mistflower (Eupatorium coelestinum ) glows in the evening light, another sign that fall is on the way.
Butterfly vine, or gallinita (Mascagnia macroptera ), shares a low trellis with the resurgent sweet Autumn clematis (below). They’re duking it out for growing room, and periodically I give them both a good haircut to keep them in bounds.
The sweet-scented flowers of sweet Autumn clematis shine like little stars in the fading light.
I like the frilly edges of the flowers of the butterfly vine. It sounds like the sensible thing to do, pruning both the butterfly vine and the autumn clematis back hard, if they both grow like there is no tomorrow. 😉 The blue mistflower is very pretty and it comes in one of my favorite colours too.
Yes, I like those frilly edges too. They kind of look like they’ve been cut out with pinking shears, don’t they? —Pam
Soooo delicate and lovely!
Lovely post – I could almost imagine those plants growing next to each other in that color progression. I’ve always liked that ageratum. You’ve really captured its color.
I thought so too. The vines share a trellis, and the ageratum grows nearby. Thanks for dropping by, McGregor’s Daughter. —Pam
What kind of light do you have for your mistflower? Mine gets dappled sun and has grown like a weed since I planted it last year, but it just won’t bloom and I’m thinking the light levels must be just a little too low for its liking.
It gets dappled sun, like yours, with maybe a little bit more sun in mid-morning, and it blooms reliably every fall. But it did take a couple of years to start getting a good show of flowers. Maybe yours just needs a little more time to get established? —Pam
Those are beautiful photographs. I especially like the blue Mistflower.
I loved the photos of your Barbados Cherry and it’s just been added to my list of plant possibilities for the new front bed! And I laughed at your NIMB list! I have SO many of those things you don’t have, especially the tropicals, because we have a pool and I try to plant hearty tropicals and tropical-like natives around it! But I also have the Hill Country Garden plants scattered about as well, but less grasses. That’s why I am thinking so hard about this new bed – I want it to be “me” and complement the other side of the pathway and the house.
Hi, Diana. I recommend giving the Barbardos cherry a southern exposure, with protection from north winds, since it can be set back hard by frost.
I’d love to see photos of your tropical garden around your pool. It sounds delightful! —Pam