Plumbago auriculata (Cape Leadwort)

Plumbago auriculata (Cape Leadwort) is an evergreen vine to sprawling, mounding shrub boasting a profusion of beautiful sky-blue, five-lobed, trumpet-shaped flowers on short racemes over a long season. Blooming freely from spring through summer, or nearly all year in warm, frost-free locations, the blossoms are borne at the tips of slender, scandent stems bearing light green, spoon-shaped leaves.

Plumbago auriculata (Cape Leadwort) is an evergreen vine to sprawling, mounding shrub boasting a profusion of beautiful sky-blue, five-lobed, trumpet-shaped flowers on short racemes over a long season. Blooming freely from spring through summer, or nearly all year in warm, frost-free locations, the blossoms are borne at the tips of slender, scandent stems bearing light green, spoon-shaped leaves. The gracefully arching branches fall over each other, producing a shrub-like mass. Cape Leadwort can also be trained on a trellis as a vine or used as a groundcover. Gorgeous spilling over the edges of large containers or cascading down a retaining wall, showing off the unusual blue flowers.

  • Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
  • Grows up to 6-10 ft. tall (180-300 cm) and 8-10 ft. wide (240-300 cm).
  • Easily grown in organically richfertilewell-drained soils in full sun or part shade. Site in a location protected from strong winds. Consistently moist soils are best during the growing season. Drought tolerant once established.
  • Great for beds and borders, wall-side borders, containers, Mediterranean gardens.
  • Virtually disease free. Keep an eye out for mealybugs, tortrix moth, glasshouse whitefly and glasshouse red spider mite on indoor plants. Deer resistant.
  • Cut back sideshoots to within three to four buds of the permanent framework of branches to promote more compact growth and more blooms.
  • Propagate by seed at 13-18°C in spring, or take semi-hardwood cuttings in mid-summer with bottom heat.
  • Native to South Africa.

Requirements

Hardiness 8
– 11

Heat Zones 10
– 11

Climate Zones 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Climbers, Shrubs
Plant Family Plumbago
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early,Mid,Late)Summer (Early,Mid,Late)FallWinter
Height 6'
– 10'
(180cm
– 3m)
Spread 8'
– 10'
(240cm
– 3m)
Spacing 48″
– 72″
(120cm
– 180cm)
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen
Tolerance Deer, Drought
Garden Uses Beds and Borders, Ground Covers, Patio and Containers, Wall-Side Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Mediterranean Garden