Libertia sessiliflora 'Caerulescens' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Chilean Libertia

Libertia sessiliflora 'Caerulescens'

£7.99
Protect from hard frostSun-lovingEvergreenLoved by pollinators
Pot size
9cm / 0.5L £7.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

Libertia sessiliflora 'Caerulescens' and known as the Chilean libertia, is an unusual evergreen member of the iris family that brings a haze of soft powder-blue flowers to the early summer garden. Where most libertias flower white, this Chilean species stands apart with airy sprays of china-blue blooms lit by bright orange anthers, held above a neat clump of narrow, dark green blades.

Rated RHS H3, it is happiest in a warm, sunny, free-draining spot and rewards a dry winter mulch and some shelter in colder gardens. It is fully evergreen, so the fine, grassy foliage holds its structure through the year, with the powder-blue flower spikes arriving in late spring and early summer, followed by neat brown seed heads.

Water regularly through the first season to settle the roots, then keep it on the drier side once established. Its upright, iris-like habit and long flowering make it a natural for a sunny exotic border or a gravel garden, while its compact clump sits happily in a pot on a warm patio among other plants for pots and containers. The nectar-rich blue flowers are a draw for bees, so it also earns a place among plants for pollinators.

Browse the wider hardy exotics range for planting companions, and see our hardy exotics: what to expect guide for seasonal notes. Every plant we supply is nursery-grown, carefully selected for a healthy clump and strong roots, and packed with care to arrive in top condition.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

Find out more

What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Chilean Libertia

Plant me in full sun and protect me when hard frost threatens.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Chilean Libertia

Libertia sessiliflora 'Caerulescens' needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is half-hardy to around −5°C and needs protection from hard frost.

Good for

Dry & Gravel Gardens Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H3 · Semi-hardy · down to around −5°C

RHS H3, so give a dry winter mulch and shelter in colder or wetter gardens.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeSouth-facingWest-facingExposedSheltered

full sun to light shade, in a warm, sheltered spot that ripens the clump.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

fertile, humus-rich and moist but well-drained, on chalk, clay or loam across the full pH range.

Watering

Water regularly through the first season to settle the roots, keeping the soil moist but never waterlogged. Once established it is fairly drought-tolerant. Cut back tired flower stems after seeding and mulch each spring to keep the clump vigorous. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through the first season to settle the roots, keeping the soil moist but never waterlogged. Once established it is fairly drought-tolerant. Cut back tired flower stems after seeding and mulch each spring to keep the clump vigorous.

Mature size

Height0.5-1 m
Spread0.5 m

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

May-Jun · Blue

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Evergreen. Remove faded flower stems after flowering and tidy out dead leaves in spring; leave the crown uncut.

Toxicity

No toxicity to people or pets is reported for Libertia caerulescens; it is generally considered non-toxic and is grown purely as an ornamental.

Native range

Chile

Family

Iridaceae

Also known as

Libertia sessiliflora 'Caerulescens'

Genus

Libertia
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Libertia caerulescens hardy in the UK?

Libertia caerulescens is rated RHS H3, so it is hardy in milder, free-draining gardens but appreciates protection in colder or wetter areas. Give it a warm, sheltered spot, sharp drainage and a dry winter mulch over the crown. Our hardy exotics: what to expect guide has seasonal notes.

When does Libertia caerulescens flower and what colour is it?

It carries airy sprays of unusual powder-blue flowers, each lit by bright orange anthers, through late spring and early summer, followed by neat brown seed heads. The soft blue is uncommon in the genus, where most species flower white.

Where is the best place to plant Libertia caerulescens?

Choose a warm, sunny, free-draining spot in full sun or light shade. It shines in a sunny exotic border or a gravel garden, where its upright, iris-like foliage and blue flowers add height and texture.

Is Libertia caerulescens evergreen?

Yes. Libertia caerulescens is an evergreen perennial, holding its narrow, dark green, iris-like blades through the year to give structure in every season, not only when in flower.

How big does Libertia caerulescens grow?

It is a slowly clump-forming perennial, reaching around 0.5 to 1 m tall and roughly 0.5 m across, taking about two to five years to reach full size. Its compact, upright habit keeps it in proportion in borders and pots.

Is Libertia caerulescens good for pots and wildlife?

Its neat clump suits a container on a warm patio, so it sits happily among other plants for pots and containers. The nectar-rich blue flowers also draw bees, earning it a place among plants for pollinators.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Libertia sessiliflora 'Caerulescens'
£7.99