Catananche caerulea

Catananche caerulea (Cupid’s dart) is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial grown for its papery blue, daisy-like flowerheads held on slender, wiry stems above a neat basal rosette. Flowering in summer, it prefers full sun and very well-drained, light, poor to moderately fertile soils that are neutral to alkaline, thriving in sandy or chalky ground. Ideal for sunny borders and gravel plantings, and excellent for cutting and drying; deadheading can help extend the display. In Ireland, choose a free-draining position to avoid winter wet; expect around 60cm in height and about 30cm spread at maturity.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Full sun

Rate of Growth: Moderate

Soil: Well-drained; light sandy or chalky; poor to moderately fertile; neutral to alkaline

Hardiness: Hardy perennial

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Plant at a Glance