Plumbago ( Plumbago auriculata ) is a beautiful evergreen plant climbing plant life or shrub with clusters of blue or white flowers and glossy gullible spatulate leaf . The most common plumbago cultivar is the blue plumbago with pale downhearted , five - petaled bloom . The snowy plumbago ( Plumbago auriculata ‘ Alba ’ ) looks interchangeable ; only it has brilliant snow - lily-white blossom heads . In colder clime , you may grow plumbago as a potted houseplant .
Depending on your clime , plumbago grows as an annual or herbaceousflowering perennial . The sprawl shrub has vining stems that can produce between 6 and 15 ft . ( 1.8 – 4.5 m ) improbable , and the shrub grows up to 8 foot . ( 2.4 yard ) wide . Plumbago is a broadleaf , evergreen shrubby bush with rounded , arc growth .
This article is a guide to growing plumbago plants to raise your garden landscape painting . As well as ready to hand forethought top , you ’ll find advice on turn blue plumbago in container and how to conclude some growing effect .
How to Care forPlumbago auriculata(Cape Plumbago)
To care for plumbago plants , grow the scrambling shrub in full to partial sun . Plumbago grows best in organically plentiful soil that has first-class drain . Water the plant enough to keep the earth systematically moist , especially in hot weather . Prune the fast - growing vining plumbago stems in early spring to keep the plant respectable .
Plumbago Flowers
depend on the cultivar , Plumbago auriculata flowers add up in tint of dreary , regal and white
The flowers on plumbago bush are attractive , phlox - alike flower inblue , purpleor ashen colors with apleasant scent . Individual flowers have five petals , and they grow in beautiful clusters . The puritanical and blanched flowers quantify between 1 ” and 3 ” ( 2.5 – 7.5 cm ) .
Plumbago flowers blossom every year from spring through crepuscule . The attractive cluster ( end racemes ) of white , diffused purple and pallid or darker gentle flowers attractbutterfly pollinators . Regular pruning can promote prolific bloom throughout the summer to fill up your garden with colourful flowers .
About Blue Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata)
Plumbago auriculata ‘ Imperial Blue ’ has deep sky - blue prime
Blue graphite ( Plumbago auriculata ) is a repeated or annual evergreen shrub . Its appealing features are phlox - like lilac - blue flowers and obtuse greenish foliage . The beautiful flowers grow on the end of thin bow . gamy plumbago has simple , alternately - staged , oblong obovate ( spoonful - shaped ) glossy greenish folio .
Blue black lead thrives in USDA zone 9 through 11 and is easy to wish for . The large , sprawling bush has a rounded growth substance abuse that can grow between 6 and 10 ft . ( 1.8 – 3 m ) tall and the same breadth . However , sometimes the climb vines can grow taller .
Plumbago auriculatashould not be blur with dwarf graphite or stout graphite ( Ceratostigma plumbaginoides ) which is a low ground cover repeated plant with similar flowers and farewell that grows only up to 1 foot . ( 30 cm ) high and 1.5 ft . ( 45 cm ) width .
The botanical name of thisPlumbagospecies — auriculata(meaning “ with ears”)—refers to the ear - like physique of the leaf . It used to have the scientific namePlumbago capensis . Other common names forPlumbago auriculatainclude skyflower , cape Plumbago europaea , and cape plumbago .
Imperial Blue Plumbago : The cultivarPlumbago auriculata‘Imperial Blue ’ has thick sky - aristocratic efflorescence clusters thatbloom throughout summeruntil fall . The Imperial Blue plumbago grows asground covert for full sun , florescence hedgerows , or an unsloped shrub . This shrubby plant also produce exceptionally well in containers .
White Plumbago (White Cape Leadwort)
Plumbago auriculata ‘ Alba ’ has white flower clump
The white-hot plumbago ( Plumbago auriculata ‘ Alba ’ ) plant has pure white blossom made up of five petal . Like the spicy plumbago , the white cape plumbago has a bush - like growth and tenacious , thin tracking stem . In strong climates , white plumbago blooms almost all year long . In colder climates , you’re able to grow this mound bush as an yearly or container plant .
Like the low plumbago , white cape plumbago thrives in zone 9 through 11 . However , it may spring up in warmer areas of zone 8 with some extra winter protection .
Blue Plumbago and White Plumbago Care Guide
allow ’s look in more particular at how to originate blue plumbago or whitened plumbago in your garden landscape painting . You will determine that it is relatively easy to spring up ness plumbago or mantle leadwort .
Where to Plant Blue Plumbago and White Plumbago
you may grow plumbago auriculata outside in warm part as a border plant , informal hedgerow or as foundation plant life
Plumbago plants grow as sprawling evergreen plant shrub in warm region . When deciding where to grow a plumbago plant , think back that it needs peck of room to spread . It would be best if you planted it in the sunniest part of your front or backyard , where there is fertile , well - drained soil .
Because plumbago is a various shrub , there are many way to incorporate its beautiful blue flush and light green leaf in a landscape painting .
bloodless or blue plumbago plants are ideal asfoundation plantsor to enshroud an unsightly wall or fence . The long , mount stems with their lush green foliage and showy phlox flowers can cascade over walls , create a white or drear falls effect .
By plant plumbago plants between six and 12 feet ( 1.8 – 3.6 m ) asunder , you may grow aperennial blossom informal hedgerow . Alternatively , you may constitute ness graphite as a margin works , evergreen privacy screen , or lease the sprawling stems produce asfast - grow ground covering .
If you hold up in temperate part , you’re able to grow plumbago in container and winterize them indoors from late downslope until former saltation .
Plumbago Light Requirements
Plumbago plant grow best in full sun or partial shade . In the hot clime — for example , zone 11 — it ’s good to grow it where it obtain some afternoon shade . arise in full sun allow the tracking stems to produce plenty of blue or clean flower clump . In hot , sunny weather condition , you may have to irrigate the shrubs more frequently .
Ideally , ness plumbago needs six to eight hours of sun day by day . If the scrambling shrub gets anything less than six time of day of light , you may detect that there is more leafage than flowers .
If you grow ness leadwort indoors , then place the potted plant in a bright , sunny room .
The Best Soil for Cape Plumbago
Blue or white plumbago thrives in organically deep , prolific dirt that drains well . To better the earth , you may turn inpeat mossand compost to boost organic thing . For drain , add gravel or perlite to the background . Although it ’s adrought - tolerant plant , plumbago prefers soil that is continually moist but not waterlogged .
Ideally , it ’s best to keep the soil reasonably loamy so that water drains well from the uprise location . The gain of constitutional material not only sum up nutrients to the ground but retain moisture and makes the stain more acidic — ideal for growing cape plumbago in the ground .
When growing juicy plumbago in container , it needs a loamy , well - draining potting mixthat is meliorate with peat moss andperlite .
How to Water Plumbago Plants
To care properly for your plumbago plant , keep the soil moist but not waterlogged
Cape plumbago require temperate amounts of piddle to grow well . Once established , plumbago maturate comfortably when watered enough to keep the land moist but not too soggy . You may have to thoroughly irrigate the land once a week to keep the land moist in summer . In winter , you could water less frequently .
Plumbago is aperennial plant that tolerates drouth . So , it can resist some abbreviated period of ironic stain as long as you swamp the ground occasionally . If the plant goes dormant in wintertime , you could skip lachrymation until other natural spring .
You will have to irrigate a newly - planted black lead shrub fairly frequently to help the ancestor system get in the ground . This may command watering twice a week or more . However , control that you do n’t overwater the plant .
Temperature Requirements to Grow Plumbago in the Ground
Plumbago auriculatais a heat - jazz perennial that boom in USDA zones 9 through 11 . you could rise plumbago in the ground all year if you have coolheaded temperature between 50 ° farad and 65 ° F ( 10 ° snow – 18 ° C ) in the winter . In zone 8 , you may have to track the plant in winter if there ’s a easy hoar .
freeze temperatures or a harsh frost will vote out plumbago flora . If temperature throw below 32 ° F ( 0 ° ascorbic acid ) , you ’ll involve to winterise the flora indoors or bring down it back to the ground and spread over it with plenty ofmulch .
instead , you may grow plumbago as an yearbook in USDA zone 4 through 7 .
Top care crown for develop plumbago : If the weather is passing blistering and dry , water the plumbago more often to keep it prosperous .
Humidity for Growing Plumbago Plants in the Garden
Plumbago auriculata plant love high-pitched humidity levels
Plumbago plants thrive in eminent humidity . If you live in region with a ardent , humid mood , you wo n’t have any problem growing plumbago in your front or backyard . The high aura moisture levels keep the plant blooming throughout the summer and well into the surrender .
Because they love humidity , ness plumbago or mantle Plumbago europaea grow well inFlorida , Louisiana , and California .
If you live in colder DoS and grow blue plumbago indoors , you ’ll need to increase indoor humidness levels . Typically , household gentle wind is too dry for many tropical evergreen perennial .
How to FertilizePlumbago auriculata
Due to its fast growth , plumbago plants profit from monthly fertilizing during the grow season . you could use a balanced , tedious - release fertilizer in early fountain . Then about two month later , you may apply a diluted fertilizer every six weeks until early surrender .
To encourage flower all summer long , you could also add a teaspoonful of fish photographic emulsion to each gallon ( 3.7 fifty ) of fertilizer liquid .
Top precaution tip for fertilizing plumbago plants : check fertilize plumbago plants as soon as bloom conclusion .
Pruning Blue Plumbago Plants
As part of its regular caution , puritanical plumbago need regular pruning to keep its form and boost bushy growth with plenty of flowers . The near time to prune the trail woody stems of plumbago is in late winter or early spring . you could also do some lighting pruning during the growing season to keep the bush ’s form .
To dress a low plumbago bush , cut back stems by about one - third and abridge just above a bud or lateral reefer . It would be best if you also clip back dead branches to the base . You should also remove all leggy staunch that detract from the plumbago ’s shape .
If you want to boost deal of flower on your plumbago flora , you should deadhead it throughout the time of year . Remove spent bloom to further fresh flowered growing on the flora . Stop deadheading about six weeks before the first frost date .
Propagating Blue Plumbago
direct stem cutting in the summer is the effective way to propagate grim plumbago works . nip off a four- or five - column inch ( 10 - 13 centimeter ) woody piece of music of fore at a 45 ° slant . Dip the cut stop into some rooting internal secretion and put it in a pocket-size sight with an appropriate potting premix . wrap up with a fictile suitcase and place in a warm , shaded area . befog the soil on a regular basis to keep it moist . It should take about four workweek for base to come out .
Once rooted , you’re able to transfer the propagate plumbago cutting into a magnanimous pot . When the flora is growing well , you’re able to transport the youthful plant life to your garden or a larger container .
Replanting Plumbago Plants
you may transfer a plumbago industrial plant to your garden when the soil temperature is at least 50 ° F ( 10 ° ampere-second ) . You should jab a pickle in a gay part of your garden and work in a few inches of organic compost . put the root ball in the fix and fill in the remaining space and crusade down hard . piss good to take out any air pocket and then H2O every few twenty-four hours until the plant becomes lay down in the landscape .
How to Grow Plumbago as a Container Plant
To grow plumbago in a pot , use a light , porous potting mix that is one - part houseplant soil , one - part peat moss , and one - part perlite . Only water the plumbago when the top 2 ” ( 5 cm ) of soil is ironical . Keep in a quick locating in bright , indirect sunlight .
mantle plumbago is an excellent container industrial plant , and the pot size of it will forestall the bush from raise too expectant .
Top charge hint for grow plumbago in pots : Depending on the weather , you may have to water a potted plumbago industrial plant more often than bush growing in the land .
Pests Affecting Plumbago Growth
Plumbago auriculatais resistant to most garden pests andcommon houseplant bugs .
Sometimes a whitefly infestation can affect the industrial plant ’s foliage . These midget white flies cause the leaves to wither , become brown , and fall . You caneradicate pestssuch as whitefly on plumbago flora by hose down them off with a strong super acid of water . Alternatively , you could spray a neem petroleum resolution on all the foliage tokill whitefly .
Related reading : How to utilize neem oil spray on garden plant .
Diseases Affecting Plumbago Growth
Plumbago is an easy - care garden bush that is resistant to disease . The only issues you may have with this bush is if you overwater it or there ’s poor terra firma drain . solution rotting can bear on the plant ’s growing if its ascendant sit down in waterlogged grime .
Because plumbago is relatively repellent to drouth , only H2O it when the filth see juiceless . This way , you belittle the risk of disease .
Top plumbago fear tip : When water the plant , avoid slop water on the leave . This can do the live sun to burn the leave . In humid conditions , excessive moisture on leaves can result inpowdery mould .
IsPlumbago auriculataToxic?
Plumbago auriculata(cape leadwort or cape plumbago ) is a toxic plant . research worker from theUniversity of Californiasay that sap from the works ’s stems or leaves can get dermatitis , painful skin rashes , or soreness .
FAQs About Plumbago Care
How do I stop plumbago from spreading?
Plumbago is n’t classed as an invasive plant . Although it spreads rapidly through its rhizome source and lollipop , it is easy to prune . To arrest plumbago from spread too much , trim the industrial plant firmly in belated winter or other spring .
Why is my blue plumbago dying?
Although spicy plumbago is a comparatively easy industrial plant to manage for , there are a few offspring that can make the foliage to droop , turn brown , and die . The most rough-cut understanding for plumbago works to die is miserable drain . you could avoid most plant problems by not overwatering them .
transfer plumbago plants in red-hot weather can cause shock absorber that causes flowers to become flat and leave to wilt . you’re able to revive a dying plumbago shrub by pruning numb flowers and subdivision and making certain it maturate in moist soil .
Heavy hoar can kill a plumbago plant . After the last rime in late winter or early natural spring , turn off the stems back to the healthy growth or the ground . If the roots remain undamaged , Modern ontogeny will appear in bound .
How do I winterize cape plumbago?
In USDA zone 4 through 8 , you may overwinter mantle plumbago plant by dispatch the prow , grasp up the etymon , and storing them in a cool , dry , dark , frost - free elbow room .
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