Scutellaria Bumblebee Blues
Deepest blue flowers.
What’s the scuttlebutt about this new skull cap? There have not been many selections of skullcap, but now there are two fabulous selections from the famed West Virginia native plantsman, and one of our most favorite people, Peter Heus. Bumblebee Blues is a sister seedling of Appalachian Blues, but they could not be more different. Both are super useful for dry, partially shaded borders and garden beds, both feed bees of all types, especially bumblebees, and both have blue flowers. Bumblebee Blues differs from Appalachain Blues in it's size and flower power.
It is the same hybrid cross of Scutellaria ovata and serrata, with the same deep purple stems and toothed leaf margins, but what Bumblebee Blues has is a little more height and more flower power. Cobalt blue flowers adorn this 2-3' tall perennial in early summer, providing much-needed food for bees in a time when most native perennials are still in bud.
Bumblebee Blues had large clusters of hooded, salvia-like flowers with white throats. It's like a tropical salvia, but hardy to zone 4! this plant will take full sun and part shade, flowering equally in both.
Skullcaps are a great native replacement for salvias and lavenders and this new selection combines perfectly with bright yellow coreopsis, little bluestem and other drought-tolerant natives.
Who Am I?
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Common Name:Bumblebee Blues skullcap
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Botanical Name:Scutellaria 'Bumblebee Blues' PPAF
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Type:Perennial
Cultural Details
TYPE
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Full sun to part shade
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Average garden soil
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Moist, but well-drained. Drought tolerant once established.
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4-9
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Spring to summer
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Deep blue
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18-24" tall by 24-30" wide
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None known
What Makes Me Special?
Landscape Use
Origin
Peter Heus in West Virginia
