Blue Plants for a Soothing Landscape

The color of the sky, the color of the ocean—blue is one of the most magnificent colors in nature and one of the greatest treasures to have in a landscape. Though rarely found in plants, it's arguably essential in the garden, bringing a soothing presence as well as a cool complement to red, yellow, and orange flowers. Look no further than these plants to bring beautiful blue foliage to your Southern California garden!

Senecio serpens - Blue Chalksticks

This charming blue succulent grows finger-like stems 1–2 inches high. Small, downy white flowers bloom just above the leaves from summer until fall. Staying close to the ground, this plant slowly suckers and spreads from the roots over time. It's at home in full sun, requires little water, and is hardy to 20 degrees. The Senecio serpens, or ‘Blue Chalksticks,’ is an ideal ground cover or small clumping plant to bring a calming blue aura to the landscape.

‘Blue Cushion’ Stonecrop

This fast-growing sedum can grow in very little soil and even in cracks between rocks in the garden, where there's almost no soil at all. The succulent stems grow to a height of 3–8 inches with highly textured leaves that resemble a spruce tree tip. In the spring and summer, it produces starry clusters of yellow flowers that stonecrops are known for, but with unique blue leaves. Another drought-tolerant plant requiring little water is 'Blue Cushion' stonecrop; it grows well in our climate in part or full sun.

Echeveria ‘Imbricata’

Popular as houseplants in more northern climates, echeverias are one of the many beautiful succulents we can grow outside in the landscape year-round. The 'Imbricata' grows in gorgeous blue rosettes 4–8 inches tall and 4–6 inches wide. In spring and early summer, pink stems rise among the leaves and display small wands of yellow, bell-shaped flowers. The rare beauty of this echeveria has inspired its nickname, the "blue rose," after the elusive mythological flower. The beauty of this plant doesn't need to elude you—it is right at home in any Water-Wise garden.

Podocarpus ‘Icee Blue’

Podocarpus are well-known hardy trees that thrive in dry climates in the southern United States. This unique variety is one of the first podocarpus bred with blue foliage. Growing at a rate of 10–12 inches per year, it stabilizes at a mature height of 10–12 feet and a width of 4.5 feet. It can be sheared into topiaries, makes good privacy screens, and brings lots of blue color into your garden.

Agave ‘Blue Glow’

This agave features mesmerizing rosettes of chalky blue leaves with a trace of yellow and orange on the edges. It grows slowly, reaching heights of 1–2 feet tall and 2–3 wide. After ten to fifteen years, the plant will flower dramatically and then set pups. But even with its slow growth, it's well worth growing this magnificent succulent, which is especially beautiful when backlit by the sun.

Dianella 'Clarity Blue'

Dianellas, or "flax lilies," feature long blades of sword-like leaves that extend upwards from a rhizomatous root. 'Clarity Blue' is a green-blue cultivar that works well as a robust foliage plant in the garden border. In spring, it also displays lacy, blue flowers that resemble the tips of flowering flax; the flowers eventually give way to purple-blue berries. It grows to heights of 24–30 inches and a width of 18–24 inches. Like other Dianellas, 'Clarity Blue' is low-maintenance and drought-tolerant.

While bright red, pink, and orange plants shout out with eye-catching beauty, blue is an understated yet impactful gem in your garden that fosters tranquility and peace. Blue flowers come and go, but these foliage plants remain blue throughout the year. To see our selection of blue plants for your garden or landscape, visit Roger's Gardens in Orange County!