Blue Daze: Ultimate Growth and Care Guide
Blue Daze (Evolvulus glomeratus) is a heat-loving, sun-soaking groundcover prized for its nonstop sky-blue blooms and soft, silvery foliage. Its low, spreading habit makes it ideal for brightening borders, softening edges, and spilling beautifully over containers or hanging baskets. If you’re looking for an easy, eye-catching blue flower that thrives in summer heat, Blue Daze is one of the best choices you can plant.
This guide covers everything you need to grow Blue Daze successfully—from sunlight and watering to soil, pruning, and troubleshooting. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced gardener, you’ll find clear, practical tips to keep your plants thriving.
By: Reggie Meehan (12/23/2025)
Introduction to Blue Daze
Blue Daze, scientifically known as Evolvulus glomeratus and sometimes referred to as Dwarf Morning Glory, is a perennial ground cover renowned for its vibrant blue flowers and low-maintenance nature. As a member of the Convolvulaceae family, it is closely related to Morning Glories but stands out with its compact, sprawling growth habit. Its lush, trailing form makes it perfect for sunny gardens, borders, and containers, where it cascades gracefully and adds a touch of elegance. With soft, silvery-green leaves that beautifully contrast against its bright blue blooms, Blue Daze brings year-round charm to warm climates.
Thriving in sunny locations, Blue Daze tolerates heat, drought, and poor soil conditions, making it a resilient and adaptable choice for a variety of landscapes. This hardy plant is often used as ground cover to brighten garden beds or as a cascading accent in containers and hanging baskets. Its small, star-shaped flowers bloom continuously from spring through fall, creating a vivid and cheerful display. Whether planted in landscapes or decorative containers, Blue Daze adds a vibrant pop of color while requiring minimal care, making it a favorite among gardeners seeking beauty and ease.
I planted Blue Daze (Evolvulus glomeratus) in my garden beds years ago, and it quickly became a favorite for its cheerful blue blooms and ability to withstand the hot, humid summers of South Carolina. Its versatility and charm make it a must-have for gardeners.
Characteristics of Blue Daze
Blue Daze is beloved for its vibrant, sky-blue flowers and low-maintenance care requirements. Unlike traditional Morning Glories, which climb and twine, this plant spreads along the ground, forming a lush mat of silvery-green foliage adorned with bright blue blooms. Its continuous flowering from spring to fall makes it a favorite for adding long-lasting color to gardens and landscapes.
Size and Growth Habit
Blue Daze grows to a modest height of 6–12 inches but can spread 2–3 feet wide, making it a fantastic choice for ground cover. Its trailing habit makes it ideal for cascading over the edges of containers, retaining walls, or hanging baskets, creating a soft, flowing effect. The plant’s compact size ensures it integrates well with other plants in mixed borders, adding a pop of blue without overwhelming its companions. Its dense foliage also helps suppress weeds, making it as functional as it is beautiful.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of Blue Daze are small, oval-shaped, and covered with a fine, silvery fuzz that not only lends the plant a soft, velvety texture but also helps reflect sunlight, making it more tolerant of heat and drought. Their silvery-green color adds a subtle shimmer to the plant, creating an elegant contrast against the vivid blue flowers. Additionally, the fuzzy coating on the leaves provides some resistance to pests, further enhancing the plant's low-maintenance appeal.
The blooms of Blue Daze are a striking true-blue, a rare and sought-after color in the plant world, making it a standout in any garden or landscape. Each flower consists of five delicate petals that form a star-like shape, giving them a simple yet captivating beauty. While individual blooms last only a single day, opening in the morning and closing by evening, the plant compensates by producing an abundance of new flowers daily throughout the growing season. This continuous blooming habit ensures a vibrant, ever-changing display from spring through fall.
Is Blue Daze Annual or Perennial?
Blue Daze is a tender perennial that flourishes year-round in USDA Hardiness Zones 9–11, thriving in warm climates such as Florida, Southern Texas, and Coastal California. In these regions, it provides consistent, vibrant color to landscapes without requiring replanting, making it a reliable choice for sunny gardens. Its ability to withstand heat, drought, and poor soil conditions makes it especially suited to these warmer areas, where it can grow vigorously and bloom profusely throughout the year.
In cooler regions outside its perennial range, Blue Daze is typically treated as an annual, bringing a season of beauty to gardens before succumbing to frost. However, it can be overwintered indoors, provided it is kept in a bright, frost-free location, such as a sunny windowsill or a heated greenhouse. With proper care during the winter months—such as maintaining moderate watering and ensuring adequate light—the plant can be preserved and replanted outdoors once the danger of frost has passed.
Best Varieties of Blue Daze (Evolvulus) TESTED
Over years of growing Blue Daze, these varieties have stood out for their performance and beauty:
Best Variety #1: Evolvulus glomeratus ‘Blue My Mind’
A compact, heat-tolerant variety with intense blue flowers, this plant is perfect for borders and containers.
Best Variety #2: Evolvulus glomeratus ‘Beach Bum Blue’
This variety offers soft blue blooms and a slightly more vigorous spreading habit, making it ideal for ground cover.
Best Variety #3: Evolvulus glomeratus ‘Hawaiian Blue Eyes’
Known for its lighter blue flowers, this variety adds a softer touch to garden spaces.
How to Grow & Care for Blue Daze (Evolvulus)
Blue Daze is a robust, low-maintenance plant that thrives in warm, sunny locations. With proper care, it rewards gardeners with vivid blooms and attractive foliage throughout the growing season. Follow these guidelines to keep your Blue Daze flourishing.
Planting Blue Daze
Plant Blue Daze in the spring, after the danger of frost has passed. Space the plants 12–18 inches apart to give them room to spread and establish their trailing habit. Choose a site with well-draining soil and full sun for optimal growth and flowering. When planting in containers, use a lightweight potting mix with good drainage and ensure the pot has holes to prevent waterlogging.
Sunlight Requirements
Full sun is essential for Blue Daze, as it needs at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight each day to thrive. While it can tolerate partial shade, reduced sunlight will result in fewer blooms and less vigorous growth. Position the plant in a bright, open location to enjoy its vibrant flowers.
Soil Requirements
Evolvulus thrives in sandy or well-draining soil, making it an excellent choice for coastal and arid environments. While it tolerates poor soil, incorporating organic matter improves its structure and fertility, leading to healthier plants. A slightly acidic to neutral soil pH (6.0–7.5) is ideal for optimal performance.
Watering Needs
During the establishment phase, water Blue Daze regularly to help its roots settle into the soil. Once established, it becomes drought-tolerant and only requires occasional watering during prolonged dry spells. Avoid overwatering, as this plant is susceptible to root rot in soggy soil.
Fertilizer Needs
For continuous blooms, apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the time of planting. During the growing season, fertilize every 6–8 weeks with a bloom-enhancing formula. Be cautious not to over-fertilize, as this can encourage excessive foliage growth at the expense of flowers.
Pruning & Maintenance
Blue Daze is a low-maintenance plant, but occasional pruning helps maintain its shape and vigor. Pinch back stems to encourage bushier growth and prevent legginess. Deadheading is unnecessary, as the plant is self-cleaning, but trimming back in late summer can rejuvenate its appearance and promote fresh growth.
Overwintering
In regions with frost, Blue Daze can be overwintered indoors by placing potted plants in a sunny window. Alternatively, take cuttings in late summer and propagate them for replanting in spring. This ensures you’ll have healthy plants for the next growing season.
Common Pests
Blue Daze is relatively pest-resistant but may occasionally attract aphids, spider mites, or whiteflies. These pests are rare and can typically be controlled with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Common Diseases
Root rot can occur in poorly draining soil or if the plant is overwatered. Leaf spot may develop in overly wet or humid conditions but can be mitigated with proper spacing and air circulation.
Common Mistakes
Overwatering is one of the most frequent issues, often leading to root rot. Planting in heavy, clay soils without improving drainage can also hinder growth. Additionally, insufficient sunlight will reduce the plant’s bloom production and overall vitality.
Common Misconceptions
A common myth is that Blue Daze requires daily watering, but it is highly drought-tolerant once established. Some gardeners mistakenly believe it climbs like traditional Morning Glories, but Blue Daze is a low-growing, spreading plant. Another misconception is that it can only grow in sandy soils, but it adapts well to various soil types as long as they drain well.
Using Blue Daze in the Garden
Blue Daze’s adaptability and vibrant color make it a standout choice for a variety of garden settings, whether as a sprawling ground cover, a cascading feature in containers, or a resilient addition to coastal landscapes. Its low-maintenance nature and ability to thrive in challenging conditions—such as poor soil, high heat, and drought—make it a favorite for gardeners seeking beauty with minimal effort.
Ground Cover
The trailing habit and prolific blue blooms of Blue Daze make it an exceptional ground cover, particularly for sunny, open landscapes. Its dense, spreading growth creates a lush, carpet-like effect that not only adds vibrant color but also suppresses weeds, reducing the need for mulching or manual weeding.
Blue Daze is ideal for pathways, rock gardens, and slopes, where it softens harsh edges and stabilizes soil with its sprawling roots. Its resilience to heat and drought makes it a reliable option for challenging spots, such as dry, sun-drenched areas that might otherwise remain bare. For gardeners looking to fill large spaces with a low-maintenance yet striking plant, Blue Daze delivers both practicality and beauty.
Containers and Hanging Baskets
Blue Daze is a showstopper in containers and hanging baskets, where its cascading stems and delicate blooms create a flowing, eye-catching display. Its soft, silvery-green foliage and vibrant blue flowers provide a stunning contrast to other plants, such as bright yellow marigolds, soft white petunias, or trailing ivy. This versatility allows gardeners to experiment with seasonal arrangements, creating dynamic patio décor or porch displays that adapt to any color palette.
Blue Daze’s heat tolerance and drought resistance make it particularly well-suited for container gardening, as it can withstand sunny, exposed conditions with minimal care. Whether displayed solo for a monochromatic look or paired with complementary plants, Blue Daze adds texture and vibrant color to any container arrangement.
Coastal Gardens
Thriving in coastal environments, Blue Daze is a top choice for seaside landscapes and beachfront properties. Its tolerance for heat, sandy soils, and salt spray allows it to flourish in challenging coastal conditions where other plants might struggle. This makes Blue Daze an ideal option for creating vibrant flower beds, ground covers, or accent borders in warm, sunny climates.
It pairs beautifully with other hardy coastal plants like ornamental grasses, succulents, or lavender, creating a lush yet durable landscape. In addition to its beauty, Blue Daze’s resilience ensures it maintains its charm throughout the growing season, even under the stresses of a seaside environment.
Brilliant Blue Daze, Low Maintenance
Looking to grow Blue Daze in your garden? At Garden Delivery, we offer premium Blue Daze plants, loved for their vivid sky-blue flowers, spreading habit, and exceptional heat and drought tolerance. This sun-loving groundcover thrives in hot, humid climates and keeps blooming through summer’s harshest days. Perfect for edging, containers, or spilling over walls, Blue Daze adds vibrant color with very little maintenance. Our plants are sourced from trusted growers and chosen for reliable performance and strong blooms. Add Blue Daze to your landscape today and enjoy a season full of true-blue beauty and carefree charm.