On vacation trips through the tropics or the Mediterranean, their bright, light blue flowers will not escape the trained eye of the hobby gardener. Leadwort with the botanical name Plumbago auriculata is a widespread flowering shrub in the wild in the warm regions of the world. In the local latitudes, thanks to its ornamental value, it is often cultivated as a container plant and high-stemmed. Since its branches also thrive hanging and climbing, it can also be discovered as a decorative traffic light plant or blooming privacy screen on the trellis. Their undemanding maintenance has contributed to their growing popularity, but also the unusually long flowering period from spring to autumn.
Table of Contents
maintenance
Plenty of light and water as well as additional nutrients are required so that the lead root can fully present its elaborate abundance of flowers. The following care tips are therefore of central importance for a successful cultivation of the Plumbago auriculata:
- Bright to full sun.
- Light shade dampens the flower development somewhat.
- Location as sheltered from the wind as possible.
- Garden soil-compost mixture as a suitable substrate.
- Water well in the growing season.
- Put the watering water directly on the roots.
- Use rainwater or stale tap water.
- Lead root cannot cope with waterlogging.
- Regularly clean withered flowers.
- Fertilize every 2 weeks in summer.
- Commercially available liquid fertilizer covers the nutritional requirements.
As thirsty as leadwort may be in summer, it should still be protected from a rain shower, because the plate-shaped flowers usually do not recover from it. They get mushy and stick to the green leaves. So that they do not inhibit the growth of new flowers, they have to be plucked in painstaking detail. For this reason, a covered space makes sense.
Multiply
Propagation by cuttings is not only easy to carry out, but also promises the highest success rate. In the period from May to July, the experienced gardener takes some time to choose the right shoots. On the one hand, they must not be too soft and meaty; on the other hand not too hard and completely lignified. You can cut the selected cuttings from the mother plant with a sharp knife over a length of 10 cm to 15 cm or simply tear them off. The flowers are removed and the leaves cut off on the lower half. The shoots are then placed in a moist peat-sand mixture that has been filled into nursery pots.
The plastic bag that is placed over each potty plays an important role in rooting. It ensures a warm, humid micro-climate, as is the case in the tropics. At the same time, insects buzzing around are prevented from laying their eggs in the substrate and the larvae attack the tender roots. If you want to make sure that there are not already germs or eggs in the growing substrate, put it in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 ° or in the microwave for 10 minutes at 800 watts and only put the shoots in when it has cooled down. In a bright, warm place at temperatures between 19 ° and 21 ° Celsius, the cuttings will quickly take root. The bag is then removed and the young leadworts are regularly watered. After a month you will receive your first dose of diluted liquid fertilizer.
The vigorous shrubs will have reached a height of 30 cm within a short time. Then it is time to relax the shoots in order to encourage the lead root to grow as bushy as possible. At the same time, the young plants are repotted and then treated like adult Plumbago auriculata.
sowing
Propagation by sowing is less promising, if the seeds of the lead root have been harvested, because they lack the energy that they can only get in the Mediterranean summer climate. Only seeds directly from their South African homeland or the Mediterranean region have a chance to germinate. Sowing is possible all year round. Ideally, coconut fiber potting soil or a peat-sand-perlite mixture is used. As a dark germ, the seeds are inserted a maximum of 0.5 cm into the substrate, covered with foil and placed in a light place at 20 ° to 23 ° Celsius. For the next 3 to 4 weeks, seeds and substrate are kept slightly moist at all times. During this time, the film is ventilated from time to time to prevent the formation of mold. When the first pair of leaves shows up after germination,
Overwinter
Their tropical origins already suggest: Leadwort bushes are not hardy. Therefore, they are rarely found in borders, but are preferably cultivated in a planter. So that the exotic shrub gets through the winter well, experienced hobby gardeners adhere to the following basic rules:
- Trim by half before putting away.
- The winter quarters are light and cool at around 8 ° Celsius.
- In this phase, only water a little and do not fertilize.
- Check for pests regularly.
- The leaves are thrown off in the dark place.
- Gradually get used to warmer places in spring.
Alternatively, the lead root can hibernate in the warm room by the window. In this case, the plant will most likely not shed its foliage. The disadvantage of this type of overwintering is that the coolest possible location in winter promotes flower growth for the next season. If it is too warm, the Plumbago auriculata does not take the necessary rest to collect the energy for a new bloom.
Repot after winter
When spring approaches, the lead root leaves its winter shelter and is repotted in fresh substrate. The new planter should only be a little bigger than the previous one. Otherwise the shrub would be busy first of all with rooting the new tub instead of investing its energy in the growth of shoots and flowers. In the new pot, a drainage made of gravel or expanded clay is first created to prevent the formation of waterlogging. If a piece of water and air permeable garden fleece is ready to hand, it is placed over the drainage so that it does not become clogged with the substrate. A first layer of the soil-compost mixture is placed on top. In the next step, the lead root is potted up and examined with a critical eye. If there are dry or rotten areas in the root area, remove them and supply the interfaces with charcoal powder. Then the plant is placed in the middle of the container and the soil is distributed around it. Foresighted gardening enthusiasts leave a pouring rim free so that nothing overflows later.
Schneiden
Ein unverzichtbares Werkzeug bei der Kultivierung der Bleiwurz ist die Gartenschere, denn der Strauch neigt zum Wuchern. Da die Pflanze gleichzeitig angenehm schnittverträglich ist und die Blüten ausschließlich am einjährigen Holz sprießen lässt, ist ein zu üppiges Wachstum gut unter Kontrolle zu halten. Erfahrungsgemäß wird in folgenden Schritten geschnitten:
- Im Frühjahr bis auf 15 cm oder 20 cm Höhe stutzen
- junge Triebe nach 30 Tagen entspitzen
- Schwache Triebe gänzlich entfernen
- Im Sommer leichter Formschnitt und auslichten
- Vor der Winterpause um die Hälfte kürzen
Obgleich die Plumbago auriculata ein häufiges Schneiden nicht übel nimmt, ist es doch wichtig, darauf zu achten, dass die Maßnahme nicht unter praller Sonneneinstrahlung vorgenommen wird. Die frischen Schnittstellen vertrocknen und beschädigen den gesamten Zweig.
Bleiwurz zum Hochstamm erziehen
Da der Strauch imposante Höhen von 2 bis 4 Metern erreicht, nimmt er einen breiten Raum um sich herum ein. Im kleineren Garten oder im Kübel bietet es sich daher an, ihn zum Hochstamm zu erziehen. Idealerweise ist die Bleiwurz noch jung, weil ihr Wuchs dann einfacher zu beeinflussen ist:
- Ein möglichst kräftiger Ast in der Mitte des Strauches wird als Hauptstamm auserwählt. Er sollte sich zudem so gerade, wie möglich gen Himmel strecken.
- Sollte der Hauptast noch nicht stabil genug sein, wird ein Stützpfahl neben ihm in den Boden geschlagen und beide mit einem breiten Bastband verbunden.
- Alle Basis- und Seitentriebe werden entfernt, und zwar bis zu der Höhe, wo sich die Krone befinden soll.
- Zukünftig werden neue Triebe an der Basis und an den Seiten sogleich entfernt, wenn sie nicht Teil der Krone sein sollen.
Die Krone des Hochstämmchens wird umso ausladender, je öfter die Seitentriebe entspitzt werden. Die beste Zeit, mit den Schnitt- und Erziehungsmaßnahmen zu beginnen, ist das zeitige Frühjahr vor dem neuen Austrieb, wenn es nicht mehr friert. Übrigens lässt sich auf ähnliche Weise die Bleiwurz zur dekorativen Blumensäule formen. Bei dieser Variante verbleiben einige Basis- und Seitentriebe am Hauptstamm und werden ebenfalls durch regelmäßiges Entspitzen zum Verzweigen angeregt.
Am Spalier als hellblauer Sichtschutz
Zu den zahlreichen positiven Attributen der Plumbago auriculata zählt ihre Kletterfreudigkeit. Diesen Umstand weiß der geübte Hobbygärtner zu nutzen und schafft sich einen blühenden Sichtschutz für den Balkon, die Terrasse oder den Sitzplatz im Garten. Bestens geeignet für diesen Zweck sind Pflanzkästen mit Rankgitter, weil sie dank ihrer Mobilität im Herbst problemlos ins Winterquartier umgeräumt werden können. Bei der Wahl des Materials ist es ratsam, kesseldruckimprägniertes Holz oder Metall zu bevorzugen, was für die nötige Stabilität und Widerstandsfähigkeit sorgt.
Da Bleiwurz ein ausgeprägt starkwüchsiger Strauch ist, genügt pro laufendem Meter Blumenkasten eine Jungpflanze. Zu Beginn benötigt die Schling- und Kletterpflanze ein wenig Starthilfe, indem die jungen Triebe bogen- und spiralförmig am Spalier festgebunden werden. Auf diese Weise bremsen Sie ihr Höhenwachstum, wobei Sie gleichzeitig die Blütenbildung senkrecht und waagerecht fördern. Hat die Bleiwurz erst einmal Halt gefunden am Spalier, schlingt sie sich zwar im Prinzip ohne weitere Hilfe in die Höhe; trotzdem greift der erfahrene Hobbygärtner immer wieder regulierend ein, indem der eine oder andere Zweig bogenförmig festgebunden wird. Auch wenn es schwerfällt, sollte auf das regelmäßige Schneiden nicht verzichtet werden, damit die Plumbago auriculata nicht zu sehr ins Kraut schießt.
Bleiwurz blüht nicht immer in Hellblau
The ‘Caerulea’ variety with its sky-blue flowers is undoubtedly the big favorite among the lead root shrubs, because this color is generally very rare among potted plants. In addition, the plant species has the following varieties to offer:
Plumbago auriculata ‚Alba‘
- countless white flowers
- Growth height 50 cm to 200 cm
- long flowering period April to October
- also suitable as a houseplant
Plumbago auriculata ‚Royal Cape‘
- starkwüchsige Sorte
- royal blue flowers
- good climber
- ideal in the hanging basket
Incidentally, lead root (Plumbago auriculata) is easily confused with lead root (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides), a late-blooming plant with bright blue flowers that only grows as a ground cover.
Conclusion
They are the symbol of summer lightness, the sky-blue flowers of lead root. From spring to autumn, they decorate the balcony and terrace in a tub, pot or flower box. The majestic shrubs are also often to be found in the traffic lights, because thanks to their long drooping branches they give a decorative image in this form. In general, the Plumbago auriculata is a real jack-of-all-trades, because resourceful gardeners also use it as a distinctive tall trunk or richly flowering climbing plant on the trellis. The lead root is pleasantly easy to care for. The plant lover only uses secateurs often so that they do not shoot too much into the weed. If suitable winter quarters are available, the exotic natural beauty will also show what it can do next year.
