Ceratostigma willmottianum (Chinese Plumbago)

An excellent garden species, award-winning Ceratostigma willmottianum (Chinese Plumbago) is a small deciduous shrub with gracefully arching, reddish-brown stems clothed with pretty, diamond-shaped, bristly green leaves, 2 in. long (5 cm) that turn bright red in the fall. Blooming for 6-8 weeks in late summer, clusters of rich cobalt-blue flowers, 1 in. across (2.5 cm), arranged in dense terminal heads, contrast beautifully against the blazing foliage. They attract late-flying butterflies and hummingbirds in search of the last nectar before hibernation. The wiry stems and spent flower heads form a delicate silhouette in the winter garden. A most useful shrub for the late season garden, when many other flowers have gone over, Chinese Plumbago is perfect fronting bigger shrubs or as an element of a mixed planting.

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
• Grows up to 2-4 ft. tall and wide (60-120 cm).
• Performs best in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soils. Resents sticky, wet conditions
• Virtually pest free. Keep an eye out for powdery mildews.
• Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings.
• Native to China, Tibet