Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Description:

A deciduous, fast growing shrub with a rounded habit and fine-textured, gray-green foliage; dainty blue flowers appear in fall, attracting pollinators; evergreen in mild climates, but will die back to the ground with hard frosts

Ornamental Features

Monterrey Blue™ Dalea features dainty spikes of royal blue pea-like flowers with rose overtones rising above the foliage from early to late fall. Its tiny narrow pinnately compound leaves remain grayish green in colour throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Monterrey Blue™ Dalea is an open multi-stemmed evergreen perennial with a more or less rounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cut back to the ground in late winter before active growth resumes. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Self-Seeding

Monterrey Blue™ Dalea is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Monterrey Blue™ Dalea will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 8 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it is technically a woody plant, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as a perennial in our climate if planted outdoors over the winter, usually regrowing from its base (crown) the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Monterrey Blue™ Dalea is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.

This plant is not reliably hardy in our region, and certain restrictions may apply; contact the store for more information.