Susan is also blogging at GardenRant.Ceratostigma plumbaginoides / Plumbago
Spreading by rhizones, plumbago makes an excellent groundcover around larger plants (it can overpower its smaller neighbors). Otherwise, it's a trouble-free plant. Shown here at the foot of a butterfly bush.
Indigenous to China.
Details
- Flowers this vibrant blue in August and September.
- Grows to about a foot tall and wide.
- Full sun or morning sun with afternoon shade (best).
- Hardy in Zones 5-9. (Mulch well in Zone 5.)
Care
- When the new growth starts appearing in the late spring, remove the dead stems to the ground.
- Reasonably drought-tolerant, requiring extra watering during long periods of drought.
- Divide in spring, as needed, to keep it in bounds.
Location Matters
My neighbors grow plumbago in the Washington, D.C. area, Zone 7A. If you've grown it and have comments to share, send 'em along.
Good Information in Print
- The Well Tended Perennial Garden
by Tracy DiSabato-Aust is the best-selling book on how to make your perennials healthier and better-looking. - Encyclopedia of Perennials
by Graham Rice is exhaustive and an outstanding general resource on the subject. - The Complete Flower Gardener
by Cutler and Ellis is another source I consult regularly.