Blue Plumbago

Plumbago is an easy-to-care-for shrub that brings interest to many Florida landscapes. Its clusters of cool blue or white flowers are unmatched and make it a fa...
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Plumbago is an easy-to-care-for shrub that brings interest to many Florida landscapes. Its clusters of cool blue or white flowers are unmatched and make it a favorite among traditional garden selections.

Although the genus Plumbago contains a dozen or more species, two are most frequently found in Florida: Plumbago auriculata (Imperial Blue) and Plumbago zeylanica (also called P. scandens) that is white.

Plumbago auriculata is the classic blue plumbago, native to South Africa. Though non-native, this species is considered a Florida-Friendly plant and labeled by the UF-IFAS Assessment as “low invasion risk.” It is sometimes called Cape plumbago, leadwort, or sky flower. The names plumbago and leadwort have been passed down through history from an ancient Roman naturalist, Pliny the Elder. Something about the ethereal bluish hue of the plant reminded him of lead; thus plumbago, Latin for “resembling lead.”

Plumbago zeylanica is our Florida-native white plumbago, found from USDA Hardiness zone 9B to 11. It is sometimes called doctorbush. While we can’t speak to any medicinal properties, this plant is a host for the larvae of the cassius blue butterfly (Leptotes cassius) and other lepidopterans. Most gardeners report minimal caterpillar damage, so you can install this host with confidence.

Growing in billowing drifts with breathtaking flowers, blue plumbago is an easy-care, showy shrub with cottage garden appeal.

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