Care of the plant Ceratostigma plumbaginoides or Blue leadwood |
The genus Ceratostigma, family Caryophyllaceae, includes 8 species of herbaceous plants and shrubs native to Africa and Asia. Some species are: Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Ceratostigma willmottianum, Ceratostigma abyssinicum. Common names: Blue leadwood, Dwarf Plumbago, Hardy blue-flowered leadwort. This species is native to Western China. They are small perennial plants with a creeping habit that reach 15 cm (5.9") in height. The leaves are deep green (bronze in autumn) and spatulate-acuminate in shape. The flowers are small, tube-shaped, blue in color and have 5 petals. They bloom for a long time from summer to fall. Blue leadwood is used to cover slopes, in low maintenance areas of the garden and in rockeries. It's ideal for coastal gardens. Ceratostigma plumbaginoides need full sun exposure, although they tolerate shade. It resists frost. Hardy blue-flowered leadwort is a very rustic plant that can grow in calcareous, arid and dry soils. Water regularly throughout the year but with little water. Prune intensively at ground level in late winter. It can become invasive plant if growth is not controlled. Dwarf Plumbago is an easy to grow plant that does not need fertilizers. The main enemy is overwatering, which causes fungal diseases. Ceratostigma plumbaginoides propagates by cuttings in spring or by division in late winter. |
Images of the plant Ceratostigma plumbaginoides or Blue leadwood |