Caryopteris 'Dark Knight'
Color Worth Waiting For to the End of the Summer!
Nothing delivers a late season punch in the garden like Caryopteris ‘Dark Knight’! It is hardly noticeable throughout the summer with its non-descript, dense, spreading form but, as late August and early September approach, this garden 
wallflower begins to demand your attention. Bunches of small buds form along the top of each stem in August but never seem to open until one day they explode open with searing blue color that is so powerful it will dominate your garden and your vision from that day forward. ‘Dark Knight’ is floriferous to a fault and its flowers will give you a show of radiant color right into late September. It’s a perfect plant for grouping for a wave of color in the landscape, it works well in small spaces as a single specimen and even can be grown and used in a deck container that will look its best when many other containers are looking tired.
‘Dark Knight’ is hardy to Zone 6 or Zone 5 with winter protection and is perfect for full sun areas. You can treat all Caryopteris the same way you might treat Buddleia in your landscape. They love to be cut back hard in the spring almost like a woody perennial. This hard cut will allow them to densely flush with their deep green, long, narrow foliage and keep the best form until they burst into color. One further note: as much as you’ll love ‘Dark Knight’, your yard’s moths and butterflies will find it just as irresistible adding even more late summer color to your home!