PLANT OF THE MONTH- October

by Sigrie Kendrick

Caryopteris

Bluebeard, Blue Mist or Blue Spirea

Just as many xeric gardens begin to fade in late summer, Caryopteris × clandonensis ‘Dark Knight’ comes into its own. Commonly called Bluebeard, Blue Mist or Blue Spirea, this compact deciduous shrub produces dense clusters of deep indigo-violet flowers from August well into October, bringing rich colour when little else is blooming.

The foliage is as appealing as the flowers. Narrow, silvery-grey leaves release a pleasant, sage-like fragrance when brushed, and their pale colour is a classic drought-tolerance adaptation, reflecting intense sun and reducing water loss. The cultivar ‘Dark Knight’ typically reaches about 3 ft in height and width, making it a tidy choice for borders, rock gardens, and sunny slopes.

Why Caryopteris Thrives in the Okanagan

If you’re wondering about the name, the “× clandonensis” tells us this plant is a hybrid cross of two wild species, originally bred in Clandon, England. Its parent plants hail from the dry, rocky hillsides of China and Mongolia. Crossing them gave this shrub its incredible drought tolerance, love for lean soils, and affinity for intense summer sun– making it an absolute champion for Okanagan xeriscaping.

This shrub succeeds in conditions that challenge many other plants, thriving in full sun, heat, and lean, well-drained soil. Once established, it needs little supplemental water in the Okanagan, and heavy clay or overly rich soil is more likely to cause trouble than neglect.

Hardy to roughly zone 5, it suits most Okanagan sites, though a sheltered spot helps in colder pockets.

Bluebeard is not prone to any pest or disease but, as previously noted, may suffer crown rot in poorly drained soil. Its fragrant foliage is generally unbothered by deer.

Pruning Caryopteris ‘Dark Knight’ is simple. Because flowers form on new wood, cut stems back hard to 6 to 12 inches in early spring once new buds appear. Dieback after a cold winter is common and nothing to be concerned about as plants readily regrow from the base.

Pollinators flock to the blooms of Bluebeard, with bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects relying on them for nectar when many other food sources have dwindled. This makes ‘Dark Knight’ a valuable late-season addition to a pollinator-friendly landscape. Gardeners who admire the look of Butterfly bush will appreciate that ‘Dark Knight’ offers similar pollinator appeal without the invasiveness concerns associated with Buddleja davidii in British Columbia.

Pair Caryopteris × clandonensis ‘Dark Knight’ with Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, ornamental grasses such as Schizachyrium scoparium, or yellow-flowered Solidago for a vibrant autumn display that asks very little in return.

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.

PLANT OF THE MONTH- September

Salvia farinacea

Hardy only to USDA zones 8–10, ‘Unplugged White’ is grown as an annual here rather than a returning perennial, worth mentioning for gardeners planning multi-year xeric beds who may be expecting a plant that overwinters. Its appeal lies instead in season-long performance, with blooms appearing from late spring through the first hard frost. As an added bonus, this Salvia requires no deadheading to keep flowering, a genuine time-saver for busy gardeners.

Beyond its ornamental value, ‘Unplugged White’ is a strong pollinator plant, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds throughout its bloom period. It’s also deer-resistant, a practical consideration for many Okanagan properties browsed by visiting deer.

Give Salvia farinacea full sun to light shade and well-drained soil, and it will reward you with reliable structure and colour where many other annuals fade in the summer heat.

As a water-wise annual accent, rather than a permanent xeric structural plant, ‘Unplugged White’ pairs naturally with OXA’s perennial favourites, offering season-long white contrast against the likes of Berberis thunbergii ‘Rose Glow’ and Sambucus racemosa ‘Lemony Lace’.

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.

GARDENING WITH NATURE

Article by Sigrie Kendrick

Good Intentions Need Good Practice

It is important to provide examples of meaningful ways to provide useful feed for pollinators such as bees.

There is no shortage of goodwill when it comes to helping pollinators. Gardeners across the Okanagan are increasingly aware that bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects are under pressure, and many are eager to do something meaningful about it.

The question is not whether to act, but how to act effectively. When it comes to pollinator support, good intentions need to be matched with good practice, and good practice begins with understanding what pollinators actually need.

Swallowtail butterfly on Weigela

Prioritize Native Plants for Pollinators

Asters
Photo by Sigrie Kendrick

Provide Blooms Throughout the Growing Season

The Okanagan is home to a remarkable diversity of native flora that serves pollinators across the season.

Early-blooming species like Pulsatilla vulgaris (Pasque flower) and Geum
triflorum (Prairie smoke) bridge the hungry gap of early spring, offering high-quality pollen at precisely the moment when emerging queen bumblebees and solitary bees need it most.

As the season progresses, plants like Balsamorhiza sagittata (Arrowleaf balsamroot) and Penstemon species carry the load through late spring and early summer by supporting both generalist and specialist bee species.

Mid-season support can come from Gaillardia aristata (Blanket flower), and Linum lewissi (Blue flax).

Later-season bloomers such as Monarda fistulosa and various Asters along with Solidago (Goldenrod), are critical for bees building winter reserves.

A garden that staggers bloom times across this full season is doing far more for pollinators than any single showpiece plant ever could.

Pollinator paradise in an Okanagan garden
Photo by Judie Steeves

Think in Sequences, Not a Single Peak of Bloom

Wooly Thyme pathway
Photo by Judie Steeves

Group Plants to Make Foraging Easier

Groupings matter too. Pollinators forage more efficiently when plants are massed rather than scattered. A cluster of five Echinacea is far more useful than five individual plants of five different species dotted randomly across a bed.

When planning or replanting, think in drifts of perennials, generous sweeps of the same plant that a bee can forage systematically before moving on.

Give Pollinators Places to Nest and Overwinter

Nectar and pollen are essential, but pollinators also need places to nest, overwinter, and raise young.

Roughly 70 percent of native bee species are ground-nesters, requiring patches of bare or sparsely vegetated soil in a sunny, well-drained location.

Leaving small areas of the garden unplanted or selectively clearing mulch from a south-facing slope can make a meaningful difference.

Other species nest in hollow stems or pithy wood, so leaving dead stalks standing through winter rather than cutting them to the ground in autumn is one of the simplest and most effective habitat actions available.

Provide Water for Pollinators

Water access for pollinators is often overlooked. Consider adding a shallow dish with pebbles or marbles for bees to land on. A regularly refreshed water source adds another layer of support, particularly during the dry Okanagan summer.

Avoid Pesticides Where Possible

Create Pollinator Corridors Across the Okanagan
Individual gardens are pieces of a larger picture. When neighbours, community spaces, and public plantings all incorporate native species and pollinator-conscious practices, the cumulative effect is significant. These pollinator corridors allow bees to move through spaces, forage and thrive.

PLANT OF THE MONTH- August

by Sigrie Kendrick

Limonium latifolium, Sea Lavender

A Cloud of Colour for the Dry Garden

If you’re looking to add texture without adding to your water bill, Limonium latifolium deserves a spot on your shortlist. Commonly known as sea lavender or broad-leaved statice, this perennial in the Plumbaginaceae family hails originally from the coasts of southeastern Europe. Surprisingly, its heat and drought tolerance make it a natural fit for the hot, dry summers of the Okanagan.

The plant forms a low, leathery rosette of broad, dark-green leaves close to the ground, from which wiry, branching flower stems rise in mid-to-late summer. These stems erupt into hundreds of tiny lavender-blue blooms, creating an airy, cloud-like haze that seems to float above the foliage. It’s this misty texture rather than any single showy flower that makes sea lavender so valuable in a xeric border, as it softens the sharper forms of companion plants such as Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) or ornamental grasses without competing for water.

Leonora Enking | Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.

PLANT OF THE MONTH- July

by Sigrie Kendrick

Buddleia davidii, Butterfly Bush

For xeriscapers seeking a compact, drought-tolerant shrub that pulls its weight for pollinators, Buddleia davidii (Butterfly bush) ‘Buzz Hot Raspberry’ deserves a close look. Bred as part of the dwarf Buzz series, this cultivar tops out at just 3 to 4 feet, making it a great choice for smaller water-wise beds where a full-sized butterfly bush would overwhelm the design.

The appeal for pollinators is substantial. From early summer through fall, ‘Buzz Hot Raspberry’ produces long, fragrant, cone-shaped flower spikes in vivid magenta-pink. This nectar source draws honeybees, bumblebees, hummingbird moths, and a wide range of butterfly species, including swallowtails and red admirals. Once established, the plant asks for little except full sun, sharp drainage, and only occasional supplemental water, making it a fantastic addition to a drought-tolerant landscape.

A caveat belongs alongside the praise. While Buzz cultivars are marketed and bred for reduced seed production compared to the wild species, Buddleia davidii itself is documented as naturalized and locally invasive across parts of British Columbia, including sensitive Garry Oak ecosystems on Vancouver Island. Unlike a handful of confirmed sterile cultivars on the market, Buzz series plants are not verified seedless so responsible placement matters. Prompt deadheading before seed set, avoiding proximity to natural areas or waterways, and monitoring for volunteer seedlings are worthwhile practices for any gardener choosing this shrub.

Used thoughtfully, ‘Buzz Hot Raspberry’ can be a vibrant, high-reward addition to a contained residential xeriscape bed. Gardeners prioritizing ecological caution, however, may prefer to substitute native nectar shrubs such as Ceanothus velutinus or Philadelphus lewisii, which offer comparable pollinator benefits without the risk. of naturalization 

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.

GARDENING WITH NATURE

Article by Sigrie Kendrick

Xeriscape plants don’t simply survive the Okanagan’s hot, dry summers– they are uniquely adapted to thrive in them. Drought tolerance isn’t only about anatomy; it’s also about strategy.

There is a common misconception that xeriscape plants are simply tough plants–
survivors that endure poor conditions through grit alone.

The truth is far more fascinating and takes a dive into the biology of drought-tolerant plants.

The plants that thrive in the Okanagan’s hot, dry summers are not suffering through the season.

They are engineered for it, shaped by millions of years of adaptation.

Understanding what makes these plants work isn’t just interesting science but the foundation of smarter gardening in one of Canada’s most water-stressed regions.

Much of what makes a drought-tolerant plant exceptional happens where we humans can’t see it.

Blanketflower
Photo by Judie Steeves

Root Adaptations That Find Hidden Water

Root architecture is the first and perhaps most important adaptation.

Okanagan natives such as Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva), Arrow-leaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata), and Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) develop stout, fleshy taproots one to three metres deep, accessing subsoil moisture that shallow-rooted ornamentals never reach.

This taproot also serves as a storage organ, stockpiling carbohydrates and water that sustain the plant through the harshest stretches of summer drought.

So efficient is this adaptation that Bitterroot, one of our region’s most iconic natives, can survive being uprooted for weeks and still revive when replanted.

Other species such as Bluebunch Wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) and Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata) develop dense, wide-spreading fibrous root systems that fan out through the upper soil horizon, capturing even the lightest rainfall before it can evaporate. Unlike deep taproots, these fibrous networks maximize surface area, drawing moisture from a broad swath of soil.

Xeriscape plants also invest heavily in their root systems relative to their above-ground growth. A modest-looking plant in your garden may be hiding twice its visible mass underground, allowing it to access moisture deep within the ground during the dry months of July and August heat.

Leaf Features That Reduce Water Loss

Blanketflowers in an Okanagan garden
Photo by Judie Steeves

CAM Photosynthesis: Nature’s Water-Saving Strategy

Why Xeriscape Plants Thrive in Okanagan Gardens

PLANT OF THE MONTH- June

by Sigrie Kendrick

Papaver orientale, Oriental Poppy

Few plants announce the arrival of early summer quite like Papaver orientale, the Oriental poppy. With blooms that can reach the size of a dinner plate, this bold perennial has captivated gardeners for centuries and is an excellent fit for the Okanagan’s hot, dry summers.

Native to the meadows and hillsides of southwestern Asia, Oriental poppies are built for drought. They emerge in spring, producing deeply lobed, bristly grey-green foliage before sending up stiff stems topped with enormous, papery blooms. The flowers typically appear in late May through June in the Okanagan in colours ranging from fiery scarlet and orange to softer shades of salmon, pink, and white, usually with a dramatic dark blotch at the base of each petal. Although not particularly long-blooming, they are irresistible when in flower.

After flowering, the foliage dies back completely by midsummer, a quirk that catches some gardeners off guard. This summer dormancy is actually an advantage in xeriscape design as the plant requires virtually no water during its period of dormancy. Plan for this gap by surrounding Papaver orientale with late-season bloomers like Agastache cultivars (Hyssop), Salvia yangii (Russian sage), or ornamental grasses, which will fill in as the poppy vanishes.

Oriental poppies thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, the sandier and leaner, the better. They dislike heavy clay and resent overwatering, making them a natural choice for our semi-arid Okanagan conditions. Once established, Papaver orientale are long-lived and reliably self-sufficient, returning larger and more floriferous each year.

Plant bare-root divisions in late summer or early fall, when the plant is dormant. Consider the site carefully as Oriental poppies develop a deep tap root, which allows them to access moisture deep within the soil. The downside of this deep tap root means they are all but impossible to transplant. Plant it right, leave it alone, and prepare to be dazzled year after year.

An added bonus of Papaver orientale is that its fuzzy, prickly foliage is seldom browsed by visiting deer.

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.

PLANT OF THE MONTH- MAY

by Sigrie Kendrick

Bergenia cordifolia, heartleaf Bergenia

Bergenia cordifolia, commonly known as pigsqueak or heartleaf Bergenia, is a herbaceous perennial native to Russia, grown primarily as a groundcover. Practically indestructible once established, it is a foundation plant with enduring appeal.

This perennial is hardy in zones 3-8 and is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and light conditions. Reaching a height of 1 to 1 1/2 ft with an equal spread, this perennial features rosettes of large, leathery leaves, which are useful in flower arrangements.

Bergenia cordifolia blooms in April to May with dense panicles of small dark pink flowers held above the foliage by stout 16-inch stalks.

Bergenia cordifolia is not typically bothered by deer, insects or disease.

The common name of pigsqueak comes from the noise produced by rubbing the leaf between thumb and forefinger.

How does Bergenia cordifolia resist drought?

Growing tips–

Bergenia cordifolia works wonderfully for:

• shaded border fronts or rock gardens
• ground cover for woodland or shade gardens
• edging for paths and walkways
• a much-needed pop of early bloom colour
• an early nectar source for pollinators

Plant Bergenia cordifolia in part to full shade with moist, well-drained soil. It will tolerate dry shade once established and adapts well to a range of soil types.

To get the most out of Bergenia cordifolia in your garden, a protective layer of mulch is highly recommended to retain shallow moisture.

Trim back spent flowers after blooming, and remove damaged foliage in early spring to make way for fresh growth. To maintain density and vigour, divide every few years in the spring.

Suitable for use as a fresh cut flower. 

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.