Figure all as frost hardy for almost all California growing zones. Even without summer watering in coastal gardens, plants can be relied to stay full and in color from spring through summer. This has turned out to be a real find. It has rich, deep blue purple flowers in thick, full clusters held over compact, grey, fuzzy foliage. Robust flower stalks bear dark lavender blue flowers with nicely complementary pinkish sepals.
Leaves are green with a slight greyish cast.
Dropmore Hybrid,' or x faassenii. Its real value comes in its larger stature and long, tall, richly colored flower stalks. The sepals are darker on this variety, giving it an over darker purple color. The leaves are small, fuzzier, and a little curlier. A considerably more robust and upright variety than any of the preceding.