Conoclinium coelestinum (blue mist flower)

Early autumn blue mist flowers are cherished alike by pollinators and their human companions.

In North Georgia, Conoclinium coelestinum cues the flowers in late September with a long prelude of buds waiting to burst. Come the first week of October, blue hints appear and burst into flowers that last through the entire month.

Here are some of the coolest aspects of this native pollinator-plant:

• Unique blue flowers - there aren't that many blue flowers available in the plant word; 
• Flowers in the fall - there aren't even many plants that flower in autumn and certainly none with blue flowers like this;
• Late-season bee pasture - all pollinators love this plant, from bees to butterflies and months (see pics);
• Reseeds itself around your garden - blue mist flower will colonize an area by spreading from its roots and it will also jump around the garden via seeds. Being easy to pull up and a gorgeous, native pollinator plant, I have no problem with this behavior - indeed, it's quite welcome and does some of the garden work for me by choosing its preferred spots. If it does seed into the lawn, it's super easy to pull up. Another control method is to simply prune off the flowers just after they show, but before they go to seed.

Blue mist flower is a great candidate for a passalong plant - it's easy to dig up the seedlings or divide clumps to share with friend. Dig up seedlings in the spring and divide clumps in the autumn.

Plant in full sun for best flowering, but it will flower well in partial shade as long as it gets several hours of direct light. During short droughts, blue mist flower will be fine, but under prolonged drought you'll see wilting that will reduce fall floral display. When there are high summer droughts longer than 2-3 weeks, provide water to keep up good form and seasonal flowering.

• fall flowering - extends the season
• blue flower
• filler plant