Mystery Plant Monday

All images (C) Our Haven 2013

Here's another plant I've not seen before. It's in a rock garden of sorts. Seems to be similar to an ice plant. So that's where I begin my research. 

I think I have a better picture in my stash - here's one I took earlier this spring. 

I took this one in May

It reminds me of "ice plant" a bit - but it has electric blue tiny flowers and the leaves aren't as succulent like.  So that's out.

It also reminds me of "rosemary" but isn't woody like I've seen. It also hugs the rocks and only stands up a few inches. The leaf structure is very similar, but the flower structure doesn't match. 

Hmmm what else?? 

The flower color reminds me of lobelia but it's more cobalt and has much simpler  structure. Each flower head is at most 1/2 inch across.  The plant, I discovered by watching it this winter, is evergreen. Well it's someplace to start.

HA! Found it!!!! 

Lobelia gave me a clue. I put in a search for "electric blue flower" and halfway down the page, there it was. So my books loos out on this one too - I wonder if there's a "Name this Flower" ap somewhere - if there's not, there should be. 

Here are details on Lithodora from my research: 

Family: Boraginaceae

Genus: Lithodora (lith-oh-DOR-us)

Species diffusa (dy-FEW-sa)

Cultivar: Heavenly Blue?? or Grace Ward?? it's hard to tell.

You can read more at Dave's Garden - one of my first "go to's" when I want to learn about plant care. 

I learned that it's deer tolerant - apparently it's one of the last plants the critters will eat because they don't like the taste. 

It's great for rock gardens, butterfly gardens, woodland areas or as border plants. 

It is considered evergreen in USDA plant hardiness zone 6-8. 

It's a ground cover that forms a mass 6-12 inches tall and 36-48 inches wide. Flowers emerge in early spring and keep going through summer. (Mine have slowed in the warmer weather or because my chickens have been eating them)

It prefers well drained acidic to neutral soil and is drought tolerant.  I also likes loamy or sandy soil. I ready that it shouldn't be planted where there's too much clay. 

Something important for me as I want to propagate this puppy and spread it around or give it as gifts - it doesn't set seed. The flowers are sterile. Any plants that do come of see won't be true.  Propagation is from softwood cuttings (something I have to learn how to do - I'll add it to my wishlist. 

My mystery plant for this week - solved once again with the help "asking the right question" in a search engine.  

So internet research 2. Book research 0.