Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Ceratostigma willmottianum

Other names

Hardy Plumbago

Family

Plumbaginaceae

Flowering season

August to October

English distribution

It is widespread throughout the UK as a garden plant.

The escape is found mainly around Greater London and

counties to the west.

For a map see the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland –

Chinese Plumbago

Habitat

It is a neophyte introduced into the UK from China in the

early 1900s. It is grown in gardens and amenity areas

for its bright blue flowers and the reddish autumn colour

of the leaves.

The escape is found on waste ground where it persists.

Description

Chinese Plumbago is a perennial low-growing woody

shrub reaching 1m and spreading for up to 1.5.m.

Flowers are bright blue and up to 2cm.

There are 5 petals and a long pink corolla tube.

There are 5 stamens with purple anthers.

There is a single style with 5 white linear stigmas.

There are 5 lanceolate sepals.

Leaves are alternate oval and thinly toothed.

They turn reddish brown in autumn.

Stems are woody, branched and in a zig-zag.