Plumbago auriculata - Cape Plumbago, Cape Leadwort

Blue flowers are much less common in the world of pot- and winter-garden plants than yellow or red flowers. That’s why the Cape Plumbago is an absolutely essential and very popular element of many terraces or winter gardens. The name Cape Leadwort refers to the roots that where used for dyeing. In a sunny spot this plant will not stop showing its sky-blue to white flowers from early summer to autumn. Its chalice is covered with sticky glands and easily clings to clothes or hair- an unexpected but nice flower decoration for young and old! If you regularly prune the shoots that sprout from the roots numerously every year you can trim Cape Plumbago as a compact shrub. Left to grow unpruned, it tends to grow upwards like a climber and can be grown as flowering column or on a trellis. It is, however, difficult to grow it as a standard: without frequent puning per year it will soon grow out of shape and is even for an experienced gardener difficult to control. On the other hand, its is easy to winter Cape Plumbago: it drops the leaves in autumn and can be wintered without much light and in a cold place. New growth starts in April/ May.

Quality: classical plant for pots; many blue to white flowers; can be grown as shrub or climber; fast-growing & easy to care
Use: in pots from April/ May to October outside on balcony, terrace and in the garden - during winter indoors; all-year in wintergarden or bright room or office room