Native plants known for being easy to care for, long-lasting, and butterfly-friendly.
Greg’s Blue Mist flower has been designated a Texas Superstar Plant because it’s easy to care for, brings vibrant color to a variety of landscapes and is a favorite of pollinators, especially queen butterflies and monarch butterflies. (Mike Arnold/Texas A&M AgriLife)
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Greg’s Blue Mist Flower has been named a Texas superstar plant for its easy care, long blooming period and its ability to attract pollinators, especially butterflies.
Dr. Mike Arnold, professor in the Texas A&M University Department of Horticultural Sciences, director of the university’s gardens and a Texas Superstar board member, said the plant has been a famous Texas wildflower for decades.
Greg’s Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium greggii) has several names, including Greg’s Mistflower, Palmleaf Sleuthwort, Texas Ageratum, or its earlier botanical name, Eupatorium greggii.
This is a perennial herbaceous plant native to Texas. Planted in the spring, the plant provides seasonal color from late summer through fall in areas that don’t get cold enough to survive winter.
Native to the Trans-Pecos, this plant is fairly drought tolerant, but in the mid-marsh region it needs well-drained soil, Arnold says. Conoclinium coelestinum is a closely related perennial plant, also known as blue mist flower, that has similar flowers but leaves that are not lobed, but it does not have the drought tolerance or Texas toughness of Conoclinium gregii.
“Just put it in a sunny spot with well-draining soil and you’re good to go,” he says. “It’s low maintenance and low fuss. The flowers last a long time, continuing to bloom through the late summer and fall when there isn’t much color in the landscape. It’s also a natural attractant to butterflies and other pollinators. There’s a lot to love about Greg’s Blue Mist Flowers.”
To be designated a Texas Superstar, a plant must perform well for growers throughout the state, and Texas Superstars must also be easy to propagate, widely available and affordable.
Learn about Greg’s Blue Mist Flowers
Arnold said Greg’s Blue Mist Flower is the “king of butterfly plants,” attracting swarms of pollinating insects to the landscape in late summer and fall. Numerous butterfly species flock to the flower, including queen butterflies and migrating monarch butterflies.
The plant produces clusters of small sky or baby blue to lavender blue flowers that bloom for months, Arnold says. Yellow-flowering perennials, such as Mexican mint marigolds, make great companion plants for a nice color contrast.
The growth habit is upright at first, with Greg’s Blue Mist Flowers growing taller than they are wide, then spreading out. Cultivars are available with more compact habits and different flowering patterns. The plants slowly sucker or seed and form clumps, which can be even more attractive than a single plant.
“If you’ve ever grown the old-fashioned Mexican ageratum, Ageratum houstonum, think of Greg’s Blue Mist Flower as ageratum on steroids,” he says. “The plant will tolerate harsh conditions, grow tall and return year after year to grace a demanding provincial garden – a perfect example of what Greg’s Mist Flower will become.”
How to care for Greg’s Blue Mist Flowers
Greg’s Blue Mist Flowers can be planted from containers at any time except mid-winter in the northern part of the state, and will bloom from late spring through late fall, peaking in late summer through fall.
This plant prefers full sun to mostly sunny locations. Increased shade will reduce flowering. It is adaptable to a variety of soil pH levels and soil textures, as long as it is properly drained. Do not plant Greg’s Blue Mistflower in soil that remains moist, especially in areas that will remain moist through the winter.
Arnold recommends using this plant as a perennial in mixed borders, color accents, rock gardens, mass plantings on slopes, butterfly and pollinator gardens, small-scale ground covers, and for naturalizing wildflower areas and small meadows. Greg’s Blue Mist Flowers can also be used in mixed fall patio containers.
Plucking the plants initially will help promote canopy density, but over time this will no longer be necessary. If they die back over winter, Arnold says to prune back the dead foliage after threat of frost has passed.
“Greg’s Blue Mist Flowers thrive even with neglect once established,” Arnold says. “They may need a little water during extended droughts to keep them blooming, but their ease of care and adaptability have made them a Texas superstar. Their vibrant colors and reputation as a pollinator-friendly plant make them a no-brainer choice.”
Texas Superstar is a registered trademark owned by Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Plants are designated by the Texas Superstar Executive Committee, which is made up of nine horticulturists from AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Tech University in Lubbock.
–Adam Russell
Texas A&M AgriLife Communications
