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Botanical name: Senecio mandraliscae
An interesting and beautiful succulent variety producing powder blue, finger like foliage that reaches upward; a perfect color accent in rock gardens, containers, or massed as groundcover.
Other names: Blue Chalk Sticks, syn. Kleinia mandraliscae
| Hardiness zone | 9b |
|---|---|
| Flower color | white |
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | upright spreading |
| Mature height | 18 inches |
| Spread | 24 inches |
| Light requirements | full sun to partial shade |
| Moisture requirements | dry to average |
| Plant origin | import |
Blue Finger's attractive succulent narrow leaves remain powder blue in color throughout the year. It features dainty clusters of white flowers held atop the stems in mid summer. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Blue Finger is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Blue Finger is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Accent, Mass Planting, Rock/Alpine Gardens, General Garden Use, Container Planting
Blue Finger will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.
Blue Finger is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
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