When the opulent leadwort opens its floral cornucopia in May, cascades of blossoms ranging from sky blue to bright white emerge. These answers to frequently asked questions explain the conditions under which the exotic subshrub thrives perennial.
Plant leadwort correctly
The quality of the soil largely determines the successful course of cultivation leadwort. Therefore, invest in a structurally stable potting soil based on compost that contains little or no peat. Add a handful of quartz sand and lava granules added for best permeability. Above the floor opening, some pieces of pottery shards prevent ominous waterlogging as drainage. Fill in a first layer of potting soil so that the planting depth of the propagation container can be maintained. Now unpot the young plant, insert it in the middle and fill the cavity with soil. A pouring edge of 2-3 cm ensures that nothing spills over later. Water on the day of planting and regularly afterwards so that the roots spread quickly.
care tips
Your efforts to have a lush blooming leadwort will be crowned with success if you heed the following care program:
- Keep the substrate constantly moist throughout the summer
- Fertilize weekly from April to September
- Clean or cut out wilted (very sticky) flowers consistently
- Extensive pruning in autumn or late February/early March
If the leadwort lingers on the balcony in summer or on the sunny patio in the garden, it moves to the winter quarters in autumn. It's not too dark there and above all cool, at 6 to 10 degrees. Water only occasionally until the end of February. Do not fertilize during dormancy.
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Which location is suitable?
The location should be as sunny as possible so that the tropical beauty can demonstrate its floral power. in the penumbra the flower blossom is somewhat sparser. Since the cascading branches can break quickly, we recommend a wind-protected location. Choose a well-drained, nutrient-rich compost-based potting soil as the substrate.
When is flowering time?
The flowering period of a leadwort extends from the end of spring into autumn. Look forward to dense carpets of flowers from May to October, accompanied by small, green leaves that turn golden yellow in autumn. In order to maintain a well-groomed appearance and to regularly create space for new flowers, clean up withered and faded plants as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the plant does not throw off the slightly sticky flowers by itself.
Cut leadwort properly
Scissors play an important role in nursing. To ensure that the vigorous leadwort maintains a compact and bushy stature, consistently cut off shoots that are too long during the year. For a distinctive ornamental shrub in the bucket on the balcony, shorten the branches to a length of 40 cm. You can make a shape and maintenance cut by up to two-thirds before you set it up or at the end of February/beginning of March. At the same time, thin out the bush thoroughly, which will result in vigorous budding from April. In order to train the wood into an elegant standard, determine a strong shoot for the trunk. All superfluous side shoots are regularly cut off up to the height of the crown.
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pour leadwort
Keep the substrate evenly moist throughout the summer. Avoid both waterlogging and drought stress, because leadwort resents both. It is beneficial for floral vitality to alternately use calcareous tap water and soft rainwater. During the winter break, reduce the watering, adjusted to the lower need.
Fertilize leadwort properly
A plentiful supply of nutrients is one of the pillars of professional care for leadwort. From April to September add a liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water weekly. If that is too time-consuming, use fertilizer sticks with a long-term effect. These are pressed into the substrate every 3 months, where they successively release the nutrients.
hibernate
If the mercury column falls permanently below 10 degrees Celsius in autumn, it's time to give the leaden root. This is how hibernation succeeds without ifs and buts:
- Place in a not too dark room at 6 to 10 degrees
- Water occasionally to keep the root ball from drying out
- Do not apply fertilizer from October to March
- Repot in fresh soil in early spring
If there is little space in the winter quarters, cut back the ornamental shrub vigorously before putting it away. Otherwise, the end of February/beginning of March is the ideal date for a comprehensive shape and maintenance cut. Do not be afraid to proceed boldly, because the tropical beauty will only bloom on this year's shoots. After pruning, the Plumbago will move to a brighter and warmer location to prepare for the next season.
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multiply leadwort
If you have discovered your joy in the extravagantly blooming leadwort, you can breed more specimens with cuttings. To do this, cut non-flowering head cuttings with a length of 10 to 15 cm in summer. These are defoliated in the lower half and planted in pots with poor substrate. Put a transparent hood over it and place your pets in the partially shaded window seat at 20 degrees Celsius. while you die potting soil keep constantly moist, the rooting progresses quickly. If a first shoot sprout, the hood can be removed. By next spring, the cuttings will have turned into strong young plants, fit enough to be planted in pots on the summer balcony.
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Is leadwort poisonous?
Tropical leadwort harbors plumbagin, which exudes as a sticky sap. Anyone who is allergic to this ingredient should wear gloves to protect themselves from skin irritation when planting and tending. Otherwise, the exotic ornamental plant does not pose a health threat, so there is nothing wrong with cultivating it in the family garden.
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trivia
Leadwort owes its cumbersome name neither to its filigree flowers nor to its easy care. In fact, the sap of the plant turns human skin lead-grey, which was used in earlier times for body painting and tattoos. The Latin name for lead is plumbum, from which the botanical generic name Plumbago results - in German leadwort.
Beautiful varieties
- Caerulia: Beautiful leadwort with sky-blue flowers from May into autumn; perfect ground cover
- Burmese Leadwort: A knee-high ornamental shrub with bright blue flowers thrives throughout summer
- Alba: Cape Plumwort with drooping twigs dotted with white flowers; the ideal variety for the summer hanging basket
- Royal Cape: Elegant Cape leadwort, which draws attention to itself with dark blue flowers and grows to a height of up to 200 cm standard reached