Ceratostigma

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

In autumn the little bush is covered with heavenly blue flowers that are 2cm across. Today was a good day to photograph them as there was thin sunshine. The tender flowers shrivel quickly when the sun is fierce. I love the blue of the flowers, the bright green leaves, and the dark red stems. However, the leaves have spines along the edges and are harsh to touch and those bud cases, when the flower is finished, turn into sharp spikes. I treat it with respect.

The bush is frost tender, and it dies with the first strong frost, but if we don't get bad early frosts it will put on a magnificent late autumn show of red leaves. It can be cut to the ground and a new bush will come up in the spring. This year the bush is almost a metre across.

I blipped this flower a few weeks ago, but changed it when I got a good sunset shot.

Great in large. Wiki article.