Scrambling South African shrub or climber with light-blue (or white) phlox-like flowers through warm months. One of the most reliable mass-flowering shrubs of warm-temperate and subtropical gardens.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 9–11 | −6.7 °C to 10 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H2 | 1 °C to 5 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 9 | −1 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 3–7 | −5 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Native to South Africa — widely naturalised in warm-temperate and subtropical gardens worldwide
- Distinct from the medicinal white plumbago Plumbago zeylanica (also in this batch §3) — Cape leadwort has the pale-blue flowers most associated with the genus
- Drought tolerant and salt tolerant once established
- WARNING: Listed mildly invasive in parts of southern California and Hawaii — check local guidance before planting
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Cape leadwort against your zones