Blue Daze
A low carpet of true-blue morning flowers. Tough, coastal, and easy.
Low spreading groundcover with true-blue morning-glory-style flowers.
Why it works here
Blue daze gives you a carpet of clear blue flowers over soft, silvery-green leaves, and it blooms much of the year in our sun. The flowers open in the morning and close by afternoon or in cloudy weather, which is normal. It stays low and spreads, so it works as a groundcover, a border, or a spiller over the edge of a container or wall. It handles heat and sandy soil well, with one real requirement: it must have good drainage.
Care
Water to establish, then keep it on the drier side, since it is drought tolerant but hates wet feet. Plant it in well-drained soil, and in a heavy or low spot consider a raised bed or mound so water runs off. Feed lightly with compost and a balanced organic fertilizer in the warm season. Mulch lightly, keeping it off the crown. Pinch or shear it back if it gets open or leggy, and it fills back in with fresh growth and flowers.
Common problems
Root rot in soggy soil is the number one killer, so drainage is everything with this plant. It is a tender perennial, so a hard freeze can knock it back or kill it, though it often returns or reseeds; in a cold pocket treat it as a warm-season plant. Few insect pests bother it seriously. If flowering drops off, the cause is usually too much shade, so move it into full sun.
Common questions
Why are the flowers closed in the afternoon?
That is just what blue daze does. The flowers open in the morning sun and close up by afternoon and on overcast days. It is not a problem with the plant, and you will still get plenty of blue while the sun is out.
Why did my blue daze die out?
Nine times out of ten it is wet soil and root rot. This plant needs sharp drainage, so plant it high in well-drained ground, keep it on the drier side, and avoid overwatering, especially in the rainy season.
Is it a perennial here?
On the Treasure Coast it usually acts as a short-lived perennial. It can get knocked back by a hard freeze and may return from the base or from seed. Many gardeners just replant every year or two as it thins out.
Interested in a blue daze in your landscape?
We plan, install, and care for it. Start with a paid consultation.