PlantFiles: Love Plant, Cupid's Dart
Catananche caerulea

Planted 2 or 3 of these a few years ago, and not only are they thriving in my "Hell Strip" (the long, narrow gravel-filled area between the sidewalk and the road, which rarely gets watered even in this seasonally hot and extremely arid climate), but they're throwing babies around everywhere - even across the sidewalk and driveway - which makes me happy. only thing that makes me sad, though, is that the flowers are only open in the morning, closing up in the afternoon. i wonder why no one has mentioned that? their papery seed heads are attractive, though. i'm always torn between removing them to encourage more blooming, or leaving them on because they look nice.

I love this little gem of a plant! It needs very little care to thrive, is easily divided, reseeds itself politely, glows in the evening sun, and is evergreen in our frost-free climate. Doesn't mind being a little crowded, and, in fact, the plants put on a better show if massed in 3's or 5' with the margins of each plant overlapping another.

Blooms from March to November for us, and makes a lovely addition to cut flower bouquets. The one thing it doesn't seem to like is being moved and/or divided. Ours wilt terribly when lifted, and look sickly for months afterwards, but do tend to surivive if pampered through the stress.

Just for the record: it's a mistake to assume that "leaves left next to the plant" are not a sign of rabbit damage to this plant. Rabbits, unfortunately, bite off a lot of things that they decide not to chew. They'll come back to the same plant again and again, biting off stems, eating a little, and rejecting the rest. "Yuck. Maybe it'll be tastier tomorrow evening." They're not brilliant, rabbits.

Pretty easy to grow from seed, though mine tend to be monocarpic. Very slow to emerge in spring, so mark their location. I accidentally dug one up...

I ordered several of these plants from a nursery and they are not doing very well. Something keeps cutting the leaves off. Not a rabbit as the leaves are laying next to the plant. Any ideas as to what is doing this? Thanks

Planted this from seed this year, and it germinated well in unheated propagation tray, and grew easily. Transplanted outside after frost, and it is now blooming. Pretty little flower and this is in a cottage garden setting with evening stock, opium poppies, and Love in a mist.
I have yet to see if it winter's over here.

This is a great summer blooming plant, I love the color, it is a bluish lavender. I think it is very beautiful planted with evening primrose for a tall meadowy effect. Here in Southern California, it is very hot and dry in the summer, yet this plant takes the heat.

Not real impressed with this plant. It is not very big for 4 yrs. old, just a small plant. Perhaps it's a little tender for zone 4. I keep it only because I like the dried flowers.

Great perennial for continuous bloom, however it may be a short-lived perennial. I had my first one for 3 years, but lost it this past winter. I'm not sure if I lost it due to the freezing winter we had or if perhaps I should have divided it last fall as it was 3 years old. Luckily I found this plant at Wal Mart today, which is where I got it orininally, and I bought 2 of them. The newest tag says to "divide every 1 to 2 years to promote longevity" & to "avoid wet winter growing conditions", so you see, either of those could have been the problem for me this past winter. Easy care plant, very pretty daisy-like blue/mauve flower & loves full sun (at least 6 hours daily). I consider it to be a medium height plant so I do not use it as an edging. I prefer lower growing plants for that purpose such as Moneywort/Creeping Jenny or Lamium. I garden in a zone 6ish area of Southern Ontario (Toronto)

An easily grown plant for the border with grey-green leaves and bearing most of the summer attractive violet-blue flowers surrounded by papery silver colored bracts.
With their long strong stems, they are excellent for cutting fresh or for drying. Flower heads are 2" across.
Leaves are mostly basal. Best landscape effects are achieved when plant is massed.
Wet soil is usually fatal

Native to southern Europe