Cultivate Plumbago Capensis as a True Blue Perennial Garden Plant

For a true blue perennial plant there is nothing to beat the delicate blue ‚”Plumbago Capensis” plant. It is a versatile shrub and can be used in borders, patio tubs, hanging baskets, trellises, as ground cover and just about any site where watering can be a problem. Plumbago, for all its delicate appearance, is still a robust charmer and even though it likes a reasonably moist bed in its first year it can tolerate drought and some arid conditions once established. It has evergreen foliage and a variety of blue flowers in the summer and fall. It is a tropical to sub-tropical plant and enjoys hot dry summers. Plumbago is most easily recognized in its blue form but there is a white blossom found on ‚”Plumbago Zeylanica“. Plumbago plant is also known as ‚”Cape Leadwort” and ‚”Cape Plumbago”. It is native to South Africa but has traveled well to other warm climes.

Where to grow Plumbago Plants

Blue plumbago is an easy to grow plant with stunning results and it does best when planted as follows:

• Plant in full sun. Plumbago requires at least 4 -5 hours of full sun everyday to achieve its full floral potential. Planted in full sun the plant becomes a torrent of light green foliage and blue flowers. Planting in more shady areas will result in darker foliage and much less flowers.

• It likes a sandy soil of a slightly acidic nature. It will not tolerate lime.

• Plumbago is considered a drought tolerant plant once established. Some water is necessary but it can be allowed to dry out. This notable feature makes it ideal for use in patio tubs and hanging baskets.

• Plumbago has traveled well and is very much at ease in U.S. zones 8 -11. However; with changing weather patterns it is moderately frost hardy and if scorched by an unexpected frost it will normally bounce back after pruning.

• Blue Plumbago will grow in glasshouses in colder areas and it makes a good plant for a warm conservatory.

• Once the plant is established fertilize in the Spring with a general fertilizer. This can be either liquid of granular and it encourages more blooms.

• Plumbago blossoms have a fragile hold on the plant so if heavy tropical rain storms are a feature of any particular site protect the plant as much as possible without blocking out the sun.

Pruning Plumbago Plants

Plumbago plants are by no means a tidy plant and can have a tendency towards becoming a vine if left unchecked. But if these plants are pruned on a regular basis they can be controlled to suit even a small garden or patio. They can be grown and pruned as a hedge and being an urban hardy plant they are often seen dividing town gardens.

• Prune plumbago plants in the winter where winter is a recognizable season or prune when the plants seem to be dormant, taking a break from flowering. Although ‚”Plumbago Capensis” can appear to bloom all year round in some areas, pruning is necessary so it must be done as these plants are fast growing and can be invasive.

• In confined areas – borders, beds, patio tubs and hanging baskets – prune the plants back to base and this can mean anywhere around 6ins. from the soil level.

• When the plant has been grown as a vine prune to keep it in check taking out some old wood each time and making room for new growth.

Propagating Plumbago Plants

Blue Plumbago plants come in a variety of shades of blue and it is wise to buy while the plant is in bloom to get the required shade. Once this has been obtained increasing the stock by propagating is easy and can be done as follows;

• Take semi-ripe cuttings and plant these in vermiculite.

• Divide the root ball of existing plants.

• Take suckers from an existing plant. Look for suckers creeping along the ground as these will probably already have started to develop roots. Bury this section of sucker in a pot filled with vermiculite and leave it continue to grow. Once new growth is noticed cut it away from the parent and plant as an individual.

Plumbago plants can remain in bloom all year round in some areas and one tip to achieve added success is to feed the plant with manganese sulfate. These plants are often deficient in this nutrient and it is the main reason why plumbago leaves turn yellow.

Blue flowering plants can create a cool effect in a garden and with ‚”Plumbago Capensis” in continuous bloom in some gardens it is the perfect choice as a cool blue backdrop plant. It is a particularly good plant to remember when designing a vertical garden as its lightweight stems pose no threat to the supporting trellis. It also compliments wisteria as it easily wends its way through the more robust Wisteria stems and it remains in bloom long after the Wisteria’s large clusters of scented flowers have faded.