A delightful small flowering bush covered all autumn with startling blue flowers. Winter seed heads are a bonus. Best cut back in spring.
Ceratostigma willmottianum
Hardy plumbago, chinese plumbago
Details
| Aspect | Full sun |
| Flower Colour | Blue |
| Flowering Period | Aug | Sep |
| Foliage | Not evergreen |
| Goes Well With | Lavendula, Santolina, Stipa |
| Growth Habit | Shrubby |
| Hardiness | Fully hardy |
| Height | 1m |
| Soil | Light, well-drained |
| Spread | 1m |
Ask Us a Question
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I've had a Ceratostigma in my garden for many years and it always blooms magnificently but this year it has got huge and I really need to do some hard pruning but don't want to kill it. Would it be a good idea to do it now or at least cut it back a bit now, then a bit more in the spring?
Do not prune now as this can lead to winter damage. Prune late winter to early spring (February to March. During summer a light pruning can be beneficial after flowering.
I purchased Ceratostigma willmottianum from your garden 12 years ago. It has thrived and looks wonderful in my full sun border. I would now like to move it, to another area of the garden, just wondered which is the best time of year to do this. Many thanks
Provided that the plant has finished flowering (which it should have) now is a perfect time to move this woody perennial, whilst the soil still retains some warmth to aid establishment in the position. Alternatively, it can be moved in early spring as it a late summer flowerer. They require little in the way of pruning - in early or mid-spring cut the flowering stems back almost to the old growth, mainly to stop the shrub becoming too sprawly. These plants like full sun and free-draining soil. It is so lovely to hear that this plant is still thriving, evidently well-cared for!