Jasione laevis

‘Blaulicht’

BLUE LIGHTS

Jasione laevis ‘Blaulicht’
BLUE LIGHTS

Jasione laevis ‘Blaulicht’ does glow like blue light globes.

Cobalt blue fuzzy ping-pong balls

It bears cobalt blue globes like fuzzy ping pong balls, sitting perkily above the neatest cushions of bright green foliage.

Bright, useful & downright tough

Jasione laevis ‘Blaulicht’ is a very bright button indeed, that also happens to be jolly useful and downright tough.
It is a profuse and long bloomer from mid-spring onwards, with the flower globes hovering 20cm. above pretty cushions of tight foliage.

Hardy no fuss in poor sites

Blue Lights is very suitable for seaside gardens, as it enjoys sandy soil and shrugs off windy sites.
Similarly it thrives in gardens with sandy, rocky, gravel or poor soil.
Jasione laevis ‘Blaulicht’ has inherited some extra hardy qualities that make it so useful, thanks to a native habitat in southern Europe. Here it thrives on limestone, in open and rocky exposed and seaside sites.

Thrives on lean rations

Consequently Blue Lights is extremely frost hardy to well below -10C, and it actually performs better and stays tighter on lean rations.
So do not overfeed or plant in rich soil.
It actually likes to do it hard, although it does love a sprinkling of dolomite lime.

Where to use in the garden

Jasione laevis ‘Blaulicht’ makes marvellous garden edging because of its’ tight, neat, evergreen cushions of bright green, even over the winter when the cobalt blue pin-cushions have gone.
Likewise it positively glows as a decorative pot because of this spanking bright foliage cushion.
Or it can star in a rockery, or mass planted as a very low, dense ground-cover.

Very low maintenance

The only task could possibly be to trim off spent flower stems if you wish, but these usually just disappear away themselves.
It is not particularly plagued by any pests or diseases.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY
Suits beginners & gardening with kids

Jasion laevis ‘Blaulicht’ seeds are very quick and easy to germinate.

They can be scattered directly in the garden where they are to grow during spring and autumn / or raised indoors in punnets for early plants and quick flowering.

Sow indoors for rapid & maximum germination: First sow seeds on the surface good quality seed raising mix.
Then only very lightly sprinkle with sieved seed mix, to a maximum of their own size.

Now soak the sown punnet in a shallow water bath, so the moisture percolates up from below through to the surface of the mix.

Then place in a warm, well lit place (not in any direct sunlight), or place on a heat mat.
Temperatures of 18-20 degrees C are best for rapid and optimum germination.

Continue to keep consistently moist by misting from a water-spray bottle.
And covering the punnet with a clear lid or plastic bag will also help to maintain consistent moisture.

Seeds germinate in 10 to 21 days approx.

Pot on seedlings to harden off and mature before finally planting out in the garden.

Seed Count: 120 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the seed count and give a generous serve)

GROWING: Jasione laevis ‘Blaulicht’

– Height with flowers: 20cm. approx flower stems above a flat foliage mat.
– Width: 30-40cm approx.
– Position: Full Sun is best, but can tolerate short periods of shade as long as it is well drained. Suits seaside gardens well.
– Soil: Must be well drained. Tolerates a wide range of soils, from sandy to average garden loam and even clay that has been improved and opened with extra drainage. However Jasione does not tolerate heavy clay or poorly drained sites at all. Jasione is not a bit fussy about pH. So it can tolerate either acid or alkaline lime soils, as well as neutral.

– Fragrance: Sadly no.
– Frost: Very frost hardy to well below -10C.
– Growth: Evergreen perennial clumping groundcover.
– Beneficial for wildlife: Bees stay very busy gathering the pink pollen. A long blooming period is also a big help to our pollinator friends.

– Care: Carefree and virtually no maintenance.
– Deer & Rabbit resistant: Not particularly known for being tasty to rabbits and deer. But of course if they are hungry enough, or mean enough, they will eat anything.

– Origin: Beautiful native flower of the pastures, rocky outcrops, and seaside cliffs of southern Europe.
– Common names; Such a pretty plant has acquired some very ugly common names.
Shepherd’s Scabious, Sheep’s Bit Scabious, Sheep’s Bit are just some.
But they arise because it is so vividly bright in the sheep grazing country of southern Europe, and sheep actually like grazing them. Old toothless sheep are grateful to graze them, because the foliage is so soft.

Click here for Nursery Open Days & Open Gardens Information
https://www.gardivalia.com.au/open-gardens

Click here to go back to Seeds Shop
https://www.seedscape.net.au/shop/