Easy. Breezy. Blue Plumbago Shrubs for Treasure Coast Gardens

One of my favorite shrubs started blooming in earnest recently. The Blue Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata) Gardeners pining for the glorious blue mophead hydrangeas that are stars of the summer garden further north use these as a great stand-in. I gave up on hydrangeas in my Treasure Coast Garden years ago despite the fact that some people have success with them.

Blue Plumbago is deceptively easy to grow. The rambling shrubs can grow to about five feet tall and ramble a long way from where they started. Start plants about three feet apart to get a good screening hedge. They can bloom year round but are more prolific from spring to fall. These shrubs can take about six hours of full sun and may show leaf scorch if left in full sun all day. Mine thrive and flower in partial shade with well drained soil and no irrigation.

Once established by watering every day or two these shrubs become quite drought tolerant and may be pruned at will. They are not shrubs for people who like perfect square clipped hedges, but are more at home in a cottage style or informal garden.

The flowers delight people as well as a large array of insects. They attract Ceranus Blue and provide larval hosting for Cassius Blue butterflies (the Cassius Blues lay eggs on Blue Plumbago and native White Plumbago).

Try a Blue Plumbago today. It’s a sure cure for the Summer Blues!