SA Garden Catalogue: Cape Plumbago

The heavy rains came early this year, so the floods in our southern states of Johor and Melaka started early in November. So also in Selangor, there are still many in evacuation centres. When writing about the garden, the weather always comes into play. The rains are a blessing anyway, and so we should be prepared for either a drizzle or a deluge.

Some plants in the garden did not fare too well with the over watering from the skies. The Desert rose plant is no more, some black/brown fungus/moss are attached to the Episcia cupriata (Red trumpet), and even the Plumbago is not doing too well right now because it loves a lot of sunshine. There are not too many inflorescences and one bush I had to drastically cut back because the leaves were being attacked by fungus and drying up.

Plumbago inflorescence in June this year (CNB)

Common name: Cape plumbago/Plumbago
Scientific name: Plumbago auriculata/ Plumbago capensis 
Family: Plumbago family
Origin: South Africa





The Plumbago loves the full sun and flowers all year round. Light pruning always will allow even more new shoots and inflorescence. Grow it in the ground or in containers. The pretty azure blue flowers are always a pleasure to look at. It is so easy to propagate too - just by cuttings.

The Plumbago grown in a container (CNB 2012)

I have Plumbago plants grown in the ground and also in containers. I obtained the first grown cutting from my   green-fingered neighbour next door about three years ago and I have enjoyed the blooms of this beautiful plant since.

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