Echter's Plant Finder

Other Names:  Rabbit Brush, syn. Chrysothamnus nauseosus

Brand:  Plant Select

Description:

This rugged shrub features grassy, silvery-blue leaves on a compact, mounded habit, which is notably denser than the species; pungent golden-yellow flowers in late summer to early fall; tough and drought tolerant

Ornamental Features

Baby Blue Rabbitbrush is blanketed in stunning clusters of fragrant yellow tubular flowers at the ends of the branches from late summer to early fall. It has grayish green foliage with hints of silvery blue. The small grassy leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color. The gray stems can be quite attractive.

Landscape Attributes

Baby Blue Rabbitbrush is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. 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. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Baby Blue Rabbitbrush is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Baby Blue Rabbitbrush will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. 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. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species.

Baby Blue Rabbitbrush makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.