Love blue flowers? Then the Chinese leadwort is just right for you. The flowering plant has few requirements and is therefore very easy to care for.
Chinese plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) belongs to the plumbago family and is also known as hornwort or hornwort. With its late flowering, the ground cover provides colorful accents in the autumn garden. The blue flowers stand in contrast to the impressive, deep red autumn colours. The Chinese leadwort feels particularly at home in sunny and dry locations. It is a plant that requires little maintenance and is therefore very popular.
Origin of the plant
The plant's natural range is in East Asia and the Himalayas. The plants were first spotted in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Gansu, Xizang and Guizhou. The leadwort can be found up to an altitude of 3,500 meters. In Tibet, locals even revere the plant as a symbol of wisdom.
Today, the Chinese leadwort has also become native to Europe. The groundcover prefers to grow in warm and sunny locations, on wooded edges, embankments or dry stone walls.
By the way:
You should not confuse this plant with the Cape leadwort. Native to South Africa, this plant grows in shrub form, flowers as early as May, and is capable of catching insects with its sticky sepals. Both plant species are not related to each other.
Use of Chinese Leadwort
Chinese leadwort has become a popular crop in our gardens. This is not least due to the attractive and quite late flowering. The plant is also valued for its adaptability and low maintenance requirements. The plant forms pretty cushions, but spreads rather slowly. The Chinese leadwort can be found particularly in perennial beds or rock gardens and the plant also sets colorful accents in flower boxes or planters.
When does the Chinese leadwort bloom?
You will need a little patience until the flowering period of the Chinese leadwort begins, because it won't be until the end of August at the earliestthe small, gentian blue flowers visible. The plant then adorns the autumn garden well into October. The blossom meets the red-brown autumn color of the leaves, which provides additional eye-catchers. If you remove the faded parts of the plant regularly, more new flowers will appear.
How to properly plant the Chinese leadwort
| Hedge myrtle 'Maigrün' (Lonicera nitida 'Maigrün') | |
|---|---|
| Growth: | 15 - 30 cm |
| Growth: | 20 - 25 cm |
| Flowering: | August to October |
| Location: | Sun to partial shade |
| Floor: | slightly dry to fresh, well-drained, rich in nutrients |
| Usage: | Ground cover, woody edges, dry stone walls, embankments |
If you follow a few care instructions, the Chinese leadwort is a perennial flowering plant with few requirements. You can plant the plant in spring. It prefers a dry and sunny location, but can also be planted on the edge of trees or at the foot of dry stone walls, as it can withstand longer periods of drought.
Because the Chinese leadwort spreads slowly, you can also cultivate it in colonies of several plants. With its azure flower heads and reddish autumn colour, it forms a pretty contrast to cinquefoil, roses or summer daisies, for example.
❍ Location:
Chinese leadwort likes to sunbathe. Even in semi-shade, the plant still thrives quite well. However, the sun should be able to hit the plant for at least four hours a day. The sunnier the location, the more lush the flowers will be. The plant grows on the edges of trees, in the rock garden, in perennial beds, on gravel surfaces or on tops of walls. You can also plant the ground cover on dry slopes without any problems. It is not only an ornament there, but also a protection against erosion. Since the branches can easily break in wind and rain, a sheltered location is an advantage.
❍ Bottom:
The plant generally makes few demands on the soil. The soil should only be permeable to water, as the plant does not tolerate waterlogging. The Chinese leadwort would not do well in heavy clay soil. You can prepare heavy soils by mixing in sand or gravel. A warm, frequently sunlit soil is also ideal. The plant also accepts a slightly calcareous soil well.However, there does not have to be an oversupply of nutrients. Loose and slightly mineral soils provide the ideal basis for growth.
❍ Plants:
Young plants are sensitive to late frosts. Therefore, the best planting time is early May. We recommend that you plant the Chinese leadwort in groups. Between 10 and 15 plants per square meter are ideal. If the soil is dry, even more plants are necessary. Keep a planting distance of about 25 centimeters. Proceed as follows when planting:
- Dig the planting hole.
- Place plants.
- Press the soil lightly.
- Water the plants.
The plants are also suitable for flower pots, flower tubs and balcony boxes. There you can use them in combination with early bloomers. They only sprout when daffodils and tulips have already faded. The new planting in the tub should also take place from April at the earliest. The plants thrive best in conventional potting soil. You can also use garden soil in combination with peat for potted plants.
So that the plant can spread well, the planter should not be too small. The bottoms of the planters should also be provided with holes. Since the plants do not tolerate waterlogging, it is important that the water can drain off and does not accumulate in the planter. It is therefore advisable to create a drainage made of crushed stone or gravel on the bottom of the container. A layer of fleece protects against the connection of both components.
How to water the Chinese leadwort correctly
If the plant is growing, you must ensure that the soil is evenly moist. You should also water young plants regularly so that they grow well. Once the plant has become accustomed to its environment, it can also tolerate shorter dry periods. While the groundcover hardly needs any additional watering in a moist, humus-rich location, you have to water regularly in dry and stony soil.
The best watering times are early morning or late evening. Never water in the blazing midday heat. Drainage in the soil prevents the formation of waterlogging, which the Chinese leadwort cannot tolerate. Too damp a location in winter also damages the plant.
Does Chinese plumwort need fertilizer?
The plant is quite undemanding and thrives best in neutral to chalky soil. To provide the ground cover with nutrients all year round, you can fertilize with compost or horn shavings in spring. The slow-release fertilizerjust work it into the ground. Loosening the substrate with sand or gravel helps against too heavy loamy soil.
Is a pruning necessary?
During the gardening year, the Chinese leadwort does not require any pruning. After flowering in late autumn, you can cut the plants back to the ground. However, it is advisable not to cut back. Simply because the attractive red autumn color of the leaves brings color to the rather dreary conservatory. In addition, the foliage of the plant provides natural frost protection. You should only remove dried leaves, as these encourage fungal infestation.
How to propagate the Chinese leadwort?
You can propagate the plant with seeds, offshoots and cuttings. You can sow seeds directly into the ground in spring. However, the plant also forms lateral runners. You can cut these off with a knife in the fall. Since the offshoots already have roots, you can plant them directly again. Propagation via cuttings, on the other hand, is a little more complex. Do this as follows:
❶ Take cuttings after they have sprouted. These should already have several leaves and be 8 to 15 centimeters long.
❷ Remove the lower leaves. However, you should leave a few leaves on the shoot at the top.
❸ Now scrape off the cutting a few centimeters at the lower end.
❹ Then place in moist soil, cover with plastic wrap and place in a bright spot. But not in the direct sun.
❺ When the first new shoots appear, you can remove the cover and water normally.
❻ The plant can move outdoors in late summer. It is also possible to overwinter the cuttings indoors in a bright and cool location.
How to properly overwinter the Chinese leadwort
Winter protection is particularly important in rough locations. Although the plant survives light frosts, it is only conditionally hardy. Especially if you cut back the plant in autumn, you should wrap leaves or twigs around the plant as a natural frost protection.
Potted plants should preferably spend the winter indoors in a bright room with temperatures around 10 degrees. If the Chinese leadwort gets a dark winter stand, the temperatures can drop to five degrees. But don't be surprised then, because the leaves are shed in a dark winter quarter.
Important:
You need to cut the Chinese Plumwort regularly in wintercheck for ball dryness. It may be necessary to give water.
Control of Pests and Diseases in Chinese Leadwort
As an extremely robust garden plant, the Chinese leadwort is hardly attacked by pests. Even snails pose no threat to the attractive groundcover. In spring, only powdery mildew can occasionally spread in damp and cold weather. Even a fungal attack can cause problems for the plant.
❍ Powdery mildew:
If the plant is affected by powdery mildew, a whitish coating forms on the upper side of the leaves. This is initially reminiscent of flour and can be easily wiped off. However, the fungus quickly spreads to the remaining parts of the plant. The leaves then turn brown, curl up and later fall off. Dry plants are particularly at risk. The "fair weather fungus" can spread quickly in dry and already quite warm weather during the day and when dew forms at night.
If there is an infestation, generously cut off all affected parts of the plant. The parts of the plant must not then migrate to the compost, otherwise the fungal spores could continue to multiply and also infect other plants. After pruning, these home remedies can be used:
| Home remedies | Explanations |
|---|---|
| Milk | This method has proven particularly effective. Fresh milk contains microorganisms that use the fungal spores as a food source. Simply mix fresh milk with water in a ratio of 1:9. Then spray the affected parts of the plant with the solution. Repeat the treatment several times a week. |
| Garlic | For the treatment with garlic you have to make a brew (instructions: make the garlic brew yourself). You should then spray the plant several times a week with the resulting solution. |
| Ladybug | The ladybug is considered a predator of numerous pests. The larvae of the beetles not only eat the fungus, they also feed on aphids. So here are some tips on how to attract ladybugs to your garden. |
❍ Fungus:
To avoid fungal infestation, you should make sure that there is no waterlogging. However, the plants must not dry out either. If the Chinese leadwort is in the bucket, you should not place the individual plants too close together. The plants must also be able to spread. Also, a fungal attackfavored when the plant does not feel comfortable in its location. Therefore, pay attention to the site and soil conditions when planting.
Overview of care tips for the Chinese leadwort
- sunny to semi-shady location
- fresh, well-drained soil
- Plant loves heat
- water regularly
- Avoid waterlogging
- Apply slow-release fertilizer in spring
- protect from frost
By the way:
If there are no fresh shoots in spring, there is no care error. The plant sprouts very late and sometimes the first fresh shoot tips do not appear until June.