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Name in other Languages
- Armenian: Անծերի մեքսիկական
- Czech: nestařec americký
- Finnish: Sinitähtönen
- German: Gewöhnlicher Leberbalsam
- Japanese: オオカッコウアザミ
- Lithuanian: Meksikinis žydrūnis
- Macedonian: Сина ѕвездичка
- Polish: Żeniszek meksykański
- Russian: Агератум Гаустона
- Serbian: Агератум
- Swedish: Leverbalsam
- Welsh: ageratwm
Height of the Bluemink plant is 6 to 30 inches. Bloom colors: Blue, purple, pink, and white. With their tight clusters of powder-puff blooms, ageratums add a soft, almost fluffy texture to beds and borders. The flower buds are darker in color than the fully opened flowers, and because they don’t open all at once, the clusters often have an interesting two-toned look. The plants are mound-shaped, forming undulating ribbons of color when they are in full bloom. Ageratums come in a wide range of blue shades, from light powder blue through deep oceanic blue to lavender as well as white and pink. Many cultivars are named after bodies of water, including ‘Blue Danube Hybrid’, ‘Blue Lagoon’, ‘Pacific’, and ‘Adriatic’. Some names, such as ‘Blue Mink’, suggest the luxuriant texture of the flowers.
Because of their reliable garden performance, ageratums are favorite annuals for use in flower beds or wherever a broad sweep of color is desired all summer long.
How to Grow
Sow seed indoors about 6 weeks before the last frost. The seeds need light to germinate, so just scatter them over the planting medium and press them lightly into the surface. Keep the medium moist by covering the trays or pots with clear glass or plastic until seedlings appear. Transplant hardened-off seedlings to the garden when all danger of frost has passed. Bedding plants are readily available at garden centers.
Ageratums grow best in a warm, rich, well-drained soil in full sun, or plant in light shade where summers are long and hot. They tolerate heat and drought but should be watered during prolonged dry periods for continuous bloom. Deadheading keeps the plants looking tidy and encourages more blooms to form
Uses
The compact dwarf Ageratum cultivars, including ‘Blue Danube Hybrid’, are at their best in mass plantings. They make excellent edging plants and blend well with other low-growing annuals in window boxes and other containers. The taller cultivars, such as ‘Blue Horizon Hybrid’, are ideal for annual or mixed borders. The flowers are excellent for cutting for fresh or dried bouquets.
