| I need information on caring for the plumbago plants I bought today. They are already in bloom and I am a sucker for anything with a blue flower. What do I need to do with them and what is their normal blooming habits? |
| Plumbago prefers a sunny to partly shady site with moist, well draining soil. The plants bloom from June through September and are reasonably easy to grow. They eventually form a mound about 12" high and 12" wide. Once established, you can propagate your plant by taking cuttings, strip the lower leaves and dip the cut end in rooting hormone, then place it in a container of potting soil. Keep the cuttings in a spot outdoors that's protected from direct sunlight, and keep the soil just barely moist. When new growth appears, your cuttings have rooted and can be slowly brought into full sunlight. Just in case you have lots of room in your garden, here are some more blue flowering plants: Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile), Amsonia (Blue Star), Anchusa (Bugloss), Aster, Baptisia (False Indigo), Brunnera (Siberian Bugloss), Campanula (Bellflower), Cantanache caerula (Cupid's Dart), Ceratostigma (Blue Plumbago), Delphinium, Echinops (Globe Thistle), Columbine, Erigeron (Azure Fairy), Geranium (Johnson's Blue), Iris (many varieties), Lupines, Mertensia (Virginia Bluebells), Lisianthus (Florida Blue or The Blue Rose), Laurentia, Morning Glory "Heavenly Blue", Nepeta ("Walker's Low"), Lavender (maybe this is more purple), Platycodon (Balloon Flower), Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower), Eryngium (Sea Holly), Veronica (Speedwell), Salvia (both annual and perennial), Violas and Pansies, Ageratum (annual and perennial), Tradescantia (Spiderwort), Hydrangea, Vinca minor (Periwinkle), Scilla sibirica, and Chionodoxa. Enjoy your plumbago! |
