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 rich, fertile, well-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 |
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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 |