Ceratostigma plumbaginoides 'GENTIAN BLUE' hardy plumbago, leadwort
size/type
low or groundcovering,low perennial
usual height
0,2-0,3m
usual width
0,3-0,5m
leaves
deciduous broadleaf
colour of leaves
flowers
showy
colour of flowers
blooming time
August-October
location
semi-shade / partial sun
soil type
any (acidic to alkaline)
soil moisture requirements
evenly moist but well-drained
USDA zone (lowest)
7 (down to -23°C)
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Visiting Mediterranean seaside resorts you must have noticed a handsome shrub with arching branches bearing sky blue flowers - plumbago auriculata. It is too tender for continental Europe, though, there are relatives that can cope with our winters and look very similar. They are generally called hardy plumbago and bear deeper blue flowers.
Description of the plant:
Gentian Blue is a dwarf to ground-covering variety of hardy plumbago. It bears gentian-blue, 5-petalled, 1-2 cm large flowers, borne in terminal clusters from August till the first frost. In hot summers the flowers appear early in the month, in average or cold summers from late August. Deciduous leaves are obovate, medium green, and in early autumn turn dark red to light burgundy red, and scarlet red and golden orange in lower parts while new flowers keep popping up offering a unique colour combination. Hardy ground-covering plumbago does best in a position with plenty of sunlight yet slightly sheltered during the hottest afternoons of summer. It is soil tolerant but needs free draining soil. In the wild it usually grows in poor soils so make sure not to feed it too much – excess fertilizing might burn the roots. It is often used in larger rockeries where multiple plants per square meter are recommended to help cover larger areas. Remove all above-ground parts in early spring. Hardy to at least -24 °C (USDA zone 6).
Last update 23-08-2021
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