The flowers of the blue cushion are as deep blue as the sea sparkling in the sunlight. Whether in the rock garden, between paving joints, high up on masonry or along waysides, these flowers look fantastic and attract lots of bees, bumblebees and butterflies!
When is the flowering time of the blue cushions?
The flowering period of the blue cushions varies depending on the variety and ranges from March to May, with some specimens (e.g. Aubrieta x cultorum) blooming until June. For optimal flowering, they should be planted in a full sun location.
Flowering time: varies from variety to variety
Depending on the variety, the flowering period of the blue cushions extends between March and May. A few exceptions even bloom until June, such as the specimen called Aubrieta x cultorum (April to June). Most varieties show their flowers between April and May (e.g. Aubrieta 'Blue Tit', Aubrieta 'Blue Emperor') for several weeks.
What do the flowers look like and which plants do they look best next to?
The flowers of the easy-to-plant blue cushion:
- are blue to blue-violet, rarely pink and to white
- almost completely cover the foliage beneath them
- are hermaphrodite and fourfold
- are good to combine with alyssum, candytufts, goose cress
Stimulate a second bloom - cut after the first bloom
Sophisticated gardeners encourage a second bloom. How it works? It's simple: After the first flowering (around the end of May), pick up a pair of secateurs (€14.00 on Amazon). Use it to cut off the old inflorescences. The entire plant can be cut back by half during this pruning procedure. She can cope with this without any problems.
In late summer, with a bit of luck, an interim application of fertilizer and appropriate water supply, re-blooming can occur as a result of pruning. This is less lavish, but still worth seeing.
Tip
If you want to experience a particularly rich display of flowers, you should plant the blue cushion in a full sunny location. In the shade it does not produce a significant number of flowers.