English (United Kingdom) 
Russian (Russia) Caryopteris
Family. Verbenaceae.
Origin. East Asia.
Description. Caryopteris is a small genus of six hardy, small shrubs. The leaves are aromatic - mint-scented, green, bluish-green or variegated - with white or cream stripes along the edges, oval, arranged oppositely. Leaf blades with small teeth along the edge. The flowers are small, blue, lavender or white, collected in apical inflorescences - umbrellas.
Height. Under natural conditions, caryopteris reaches a height of 1 - 4 m.
Planting and care
Reproduction
Propagated by cuttings of non-flowering shoots in July or August. Shoots 7-10 cm long are cut off with a sharp sterile instrument. Rooting of caryopteris is carried out in wet sand.
How to transplant
Adult specimens are replanted every 2–3 years, in spring.
Flowering time
From July to September. The flowering period is long - at least 2 months.
Keeping at home, pruning
A very unpretentious plant that can be grown even by beginners. Since flowers appear on the shoots of the current year, the shoots of the previous year are cut in the spring, every year. Too dense crown is thinned out. Remove wilting buds to stimulate the bush to form new ones and extend the overall flowering time.
Temperature
In spring and summer, caryopteris is kept at a temperature of about 20 ° C, during the dormant period - in a cool place with a temperature of 5 - 10 ° C.
Lighting
A brightly lit place with direct sunlight in the morning and evening. Variegated varieties need very good lighting.
Soil
Well-drained soil, pH slightly acidic, neutral or alkaline. Add coarse river sand to the mixture to improve drainage. Caryopteris loves soils rich in organic matter.
Fertilizer
Feed monthly, from early spring to autumn, with liquid fertilizers. With an excess of nutrients, the bush abundantly grows green mass to the detriment of flowering. Positively relates to organic fertilizers.
Spraying
Spray the foliage of caryopteris periodically if the air in the room becomes too dry.
Irrigation
Mature specimens are drought-tolerant, but young plants need more frequent watering. In spring and summer, allow the top 5 cm of soil to dry out between waterings. In winter, simply protect the soil from drying out completely.
Pests and diseases
Wet, poorly drained soil will cause the plant to rot.
Of the harmful insects, garden bugs can pose a danger.
Varieties:
Caryopteris clandonensis
Deciduous shrub with a rounded crown up to 60-80 cm high. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, up to 4 cm long, green or silvery-green, and when damaged they emit a pleasant aroma. Inflorescences are apical racemes, appear on the current year's shoots and consist of small purple or lavender flowers. The flowering period is long and can last from July to September.
Variegated varieties have been developed that are distinguished by the presence of a white border along the edge of the leaf blade.
