Blue Mistflower
Conoclinium coelestinum
- Native to:
- Cuba, United States
iNaturalist: © benharbuck (iNaturalist #92801909)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Conoclinium
- Species:
- Conoclinium coelestinum
- USDA Symbol:
- COCO13
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- blue, violet, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Ceratina Latreille, Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica), Two-spotted Longhorn (Melissodes bimaculatus), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), Zadontomerus Ashmead Moths:Scarlet-bodied wasp moth (Cosmosoma myrodora), Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis) Butterflies:American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), Atalopedes Scudder, Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Common Checkered-skipper (Burnsius communis), Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), Eufala Skipper (Lerodea eufala), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatius), Julia butterfly (Dione vanillae), Little Yellow (Eurema lisa), Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus), ⚠️Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola), Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos), Peck's skipper (Polites peckius), Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Southern Dogface (Zerene cesonia), Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles), Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia), White-striped Longtail (Chioides albofasciatus), Zabulon Skipper (Lon zabulon)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- butterflies, bees, native bees
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes following fire; benefits from periodic burns in prairie and meadow settings.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers moist areas like stream banks
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and do not cover.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seed is planted into round cell greenhouse flat liners with 38 cells per flat that have been filled with coarse processed bark and composted pine bark growing medium. Seed is surface sown at a rate of 3-5 seeds per cell and lightly covered with starter sized, 1/16" - 1/8" diameter, granite poultry grit to combat damping off diseases. Prepared flats are lightly hand watered to slightly moisten the growing medium and cold stratified at 35 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 21 days.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 4C for 3 weeks, then place @ 20C.