Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)

Also known as: blue boneset

Quick Facts

• Type: wildflower
• Size: 1-3 ft tall
• Sun: full
• Water: moderate
• Soil: Moist soils; tolerates seasonal flooding
• USDA zones: 8-10

Fluffy powder-blue flower clusters blanket the plant in fall and draw clouds of butterflies.

Spreads by rhizomes into generous colonies, so give it room or a root barrier in small beds.

In the Landscape

Excellent as a colonizing groundcover in moist spots, along pond and stream edges, in rain gardens, and in butterfly gardens where it can roam. In small formal beds, give it a root barrier or plan to edit it yearly.

Care & Propagation

Plant in spring in moist soil; it tolerates everything from average garden soil to soggy ground. Cut plants back by about half in early summer to keep them compact and prevent flopping, and shear off spent flowers to limit self-seeding. It spreads by both rhizomes and seed, so expect generous colonies.

Divide clumps in spring, take softwood cuttings in late spring, or sow seed in fall so it gets natural winter chilling. The easiest method of all is simply digging up pieces of its spreading rhizomes and moving them.

Wildlife Value

The fluffy blue flower heads are a magnet for late-season butterflies, including skippers, sulphurs, and migrating monarchs, along with native bees. It is one of the most reliable fall nectar plants for a Florida butterfly garden.

🌱 Fun fact: Those powder-puff flowers have no petals in the usual sense: every bloom is a cluster made entirely of tiny tube-shaped disk flowers with long, threadlike styles sticking out like blue fireworks.

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🌴 In Florida

Spreads by rhizomes into generous colonies, so give it room or a root barrier in small beds.

🌿 Keep exploring

More Florida natives worth meeting:

• Alligator Flag (Thalia geniculata)
• American White Waterlily (Nymphaea odorata)
• Anisescented Goldenrod (Solidago odora)