Blue Daze (Evolvulus glomeratus) is a vibrant flowering plant known for its captivating true-blue blossoms and low-growing, spreading habit. It brings continuous color to the landscape, blooming from spring through fall. Its distinctive flowers and adaptable nature make it a popular choice for various landscape applications, offering both beauty and ease of care.
Why Choose Blue Daze for Your Landscape
Blue Daze is an excellent landscape choice due to its consistent flowering and striking color. It produces a profusion of true-blue, funnel-shaped flowers that open each morning, providing a sought-after hue in garden designs. This continuous blooming period extends from late spring until the first frost.
The plant’s low-maintenance requirements mean it generally does not require deadheading. Blue Daze thrives in hot conditions, making it suitable for warm climates and sunny garden spots. Once established, it exhibits good drought tolerance, reducing the need for frequent watering. Its compact, trailing habit forms a dense mat of silvery-green foliage, which suppresses weeds and helps retain soil moisture.
Growing Blue Daze Successfully
Site Selection and Soil
Selecting the right location is important for Blue Daze to flourish and produce abundant blooms. This plant performs best in full sun, requiring at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal flowering. While it can tolerate some afternoon shade, too much shade results in fewer flowers and leggy growth.
Blue Daze adapts to a wide range of soil types, including sandy or loamy compositions, but excellent drainage is crucial. It prefers a slightly acidic soil pH, typically between 6.0 and 6.5, but can tolerate neutral to slightly alkaline conditions up to 7.5. Avoid heavy, clay-based soils that retain too much moisture to prevent root rot.
Watering and Fertilizing
Proper watering is key to the health of Blue Daze. During its establishment phase, the plant requires consistent moisture to develop a strong root system. Once established, it becomes drought-tolerant; deep but infrequent watering is sufficient. Overwatering can lead to root rot, so allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out between waterings.
Blue Daze benefits from regular feeding to support its continuous blooming. Apply a balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer or a general-purpose liquid fertilizer. Fertilize about once a month during the active growing season, from spring through summer, for prolific flowering and healthy foliage. For liquid fertilizers, a diluted solution is often recommended.
Pruning and Maintenance
Blue Daze is a low-maintenance plant that generally does not require extensive pruning. Light pruning can maintain a desired shape, encourage bushier growth, and promote more flowers. While the plant is self-cleaning, occasional deadheading can help prolong the flowering period.
Blue Daze is generally resistant to most common pests and diseases, and its fuzzy foliage can even make it deer-resistant. During periods of extended dryness, providing deep watering will help the plant maintain its vigor.
Landscape Design Ideas with Blue Daze
Blue Daze’s trailing habit and vibrant blue flowers make it versatile in landscape design. It functions beautifully as a groundcover, forming a dense, low-spreading mat of foliage that adds continuous color to garden beds. Its compact size, typically growing 6 to 18 inches tall and spreading up to 36 inches wide, makes it suitable for edging pathways or borders.
The cascading nature of Blue Daze also makes it an excellent choice for containers and hanging baskets, where its stems can gracefully spill over the edges. It integrates well into rock gardens, trailing over stones and boulders. For complementary plantings, consider pairing Blue Daze with plants that have yellow, white, or silver flowers or foliage, such as Bacopa, Salvia, or French Marigold, to create visual contrast and highlight its unique blue hue.
Common Issues and Solutions
Yellowing leaves or dropping foliage often indicate overwatering, which can lead to root rot. To resolve this, ensure the soil is well-draining and allow it to dry out between waterings. If the plant exhibits leggy growth with sparse foliage and reduced blooming, it usually signals insufficient light exposure. Moving the plant to a location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily will encourage more compact growth and prolific flowering.
A lack of blooms despite healthy foliage may also point to inadequate fertilization or too much water. While Blue Daze is not highly susceptible to pests, occasional issues with spider mites, aphids, or whiteflies can occur. These can typically be managed with appropriate insecticidal soaps or neem oil. Fungal problems, such as pythium fungus, are almost always a result of waterlogged soil, emphasizing the importance of good drainage and careful watering practices.