Blue Roses

"Can I get blue roses?" was probably the most often asked question at the flower shop where I worked for 17 years as a floral designer.

And the answer is, "No."  Fresh, real roses do not come in blue. Even those with names like, "Bluebird," are lavenderish and not blue. If you want roses in blue you're going to have to pay a visit to your local silk flower retailer.

Below are two photos of real roses classed as "Lavender" colored from a florist shop web page. You can see "lavender" in roses varies from more pinkish to more lavenderish. Roses classed as "purple," generally run to the maroon side as a natural color. (If you see roses that actually look purple the color has probably been artificially applied someway---and I don't recommend painting---it's stinky and only effects the outer surface.) The pinker rose to the left called "Ocean Song Lavender" and the one on the right was unnamed, but has the more lavender shade. When lavender was called for, this is the color I usually saw, though it often ran lighter. Be warned about buying lavender roses: they  DON'T LAST and will be fully open and wilting within 24 to 30 hours. This is not the flower shop's fault. It's the nature of the rose and you need to understand that about them. For that reason, except for short term use like a wedding perhaps, lavender roses are not a good buy. Frankly, if you want a long-lasting rose go with red.

True blue flowers in the flower world are relatively few and even then, many tend to run slightly to the purple side. On a different blog, I wrote out a list of flowers that can be gotten that are actually strongly blue, which I will replicate here.

Blue Flowers Available From A Florist for Arrangements:
Delphinium: A tall spike of small blue flowers among the most true blue. Comes in a light powder blue or dark blue.

Sea Holly: A true dark blue pineapple-shaped, thistle-like flower. Several small heads to a branch. Good accent flower. Versions can be grown in home garden.

Agagapanthus: Also called Lilly of the Nile. Head is a ball of small blossoms that can range from medium bluish to purplish and also come in white. Also a good garden flower. Used widely in landscaping a lot in Florida.

Cornflowers: Also called Bachelor Buttons. Small hairy blossom are a dark true blue. Can be acquired by a florist, but more expensive and stems are spinally. Better grown in a flower bed.

Statice: Considered a "filler" accent flower in floral shops, it comes in a multitude of colors, but can be gotten in a lightish blue.  Also can be grown in a garden.

Hydrangeas: Large heads full of small flowers that come in a nice true medium true blue. Available at florist, though expensive per head. A popular landscaping shrub throughout southern United States.

Scabiosa: A clear light blue pin-cushion looking flower that can be acquired by florist, but I found the stems problematic for sticking in foam. Best for vase use. Also a very hardy garden flower.

Blue Flowers Strictly for the Home Garden as Listed in My Park Seed Catalog:

 

Astello Indigo Agastache: a stall spike of light bluish flowers. Hummingbird Mint. Perennial. Be aware anything "mint" probably has a tendency to spread readily.
Balloon Flowers: I love these! They look like small hot-air balloons before the open and come in a true medium blue. A low-grounding flower, it blooms profusely all summer. A perennial, so it comes back yearly on it's own. Usually available for sale as plants at Garden shops.
Centaurea Mountain Bluet: A true brilliant dark, like a Cornflower, but larger head and a perennial.
(I have some of this seed to try this year!)
Dianthus Siberian Blues: Picture looks a bright, med blue. Dianthus are member of carnation family, but have a flat-head rather then a fluffy head like other carnations.
Blue Knoll Chrysanthemum: Has lavender-blue daisy-like flowers, according to description. Picture looks all light blue. It's an annual, though, meaning you'd have to replant it yearly. Blooms till frost.
Lupine Sunrise: Has light blue and white petals. Perennial. (On my wish list for one I want to try!)
Loblia Fountain Blue: A cascading mass of dark blue flowers. Annual.
Penstemon Rocky Mountain: Tall spiky stalks of dark blue snap-dragon like blossoms. Perennial.
Poppy Blue Himalayan: A low-growing, light blue flower best grown in Pacific Northwest. Perennial.
Scabosia Fama: Strong blue 3"- 4" flowers. Perennial. Varieties available at Garden shops.
Salvia: Spiked flowers that come in a range of listings for a blue range of color, but I wouldn't be surprised if some don't lean slightly toward purplish-blue. Perennial.
Stokes Aster Blue: An icy light blue flower, long-lasting and good for cutting. Blooms late summer until frost. Perennial. (Also on my wish list to try!)
Statice: available in many colors, including blue. Annual. Keeps color when dried.
Viola Shangri-La Marina: a very pale bluish-lavender violet. Perennial.
Delphinium in a variety of colors, including blue available as seed. Perennials.

(This list is the limit of my seed catalog, though I'm sure there may be a few more blue flower types out there. Blue-eyed grass, for example can be gotten from a live plant catalog. Iris also run to a light-purplish tinted blue. Sea Holly is available in catalogs that sell & ship live plants.)

You can visit www.parkseed.com if you're interested seed or visit you favorite local grower or garden shop for things like Balloon flowers, Delphinium, Salvias & Scabiosa. Normally, what's available in your local garden shop will what will grow well in your area.