THE PLUMBAGO, botanical name Plumbago auriculata of the plumbaginaceae family,  is an evergreen perennial shrub  native to South Africa with a vine-like habit. If unchecked, this fast-grower can reach 3-10 ft (0.9-3 m) high with a similar spread.
Five-petaled tubular flowers are borne in rounded 4-6-inch wide showy clusters at terminal stems, with colours  ranging from pale blue to white, or darker blue.
The variety, ‘Alba’ has pure white flowers, ‘Imperial Blue’ has royal blue or baby-blue flowers, whilst ‘Royal Cape’ has intense, cobalt blue flowers.
The name Plumbago is derived from the Latin word, plumbum, meaning lead – referring to its being a supposed cure for lead poisoning.
Auriculata comes from the little ears that are on either side of the leaves.
Plumbago auriculata was known as P. capensis, a name given to the plant by the Swedish naturalist, Carl Peter Thunberg in 1794.
However, the plant had already been named auriculata by the Frenchman, Lamarck, in 1786, in what was known as the East Indies, where it had been taken as a garden plant!
The Dutch East India Company’s trade routes included the Cape [of Good Hope], and this was most likely how the plant reached the East Indies.
The Plumbago is an extraordinarily adaptable plant, which thrives in full sunlight, or even almost drought-like conditions.
Its rambling habit makes plumbago highly suitable for use as a flowering ground-wave.
It can be trained to grow like a scrambling vine on supports, or allowed to sprawl on the ground with its long arching branches, or even pruned into a compact mounded shrub.
Many gardeners use Plumbago as a background or filler plant, under and in front of shrubs that have stronger frameworks, or on borders or massed colour beds.
Plumbago makes a wonderful porch or patio container plant, as its arching branches of attractive blue or white  flowers cascade over the sides .It is also great for window-boxes.
In some regions, Blue Plumbago is traditionally used to treat warts, broken bones and wounds, including a snuff for headaches, and as an emetic to dispel bad dreams.
As a fun object, sticky Plumbago flowers are often stuck to the earlobe as earrings by children.
The Plumbago is a low-maintenance plant that is said to be so tough, that it practically thrives on neglect.
It is extremely resilient, and will flower profusely after being cut back, or after a growth flush, as it bears flowers on new growth.
It is least bothered by pests and diseases.
Mass planting Plumbago in gardens attracts  birds and butterflies, since the plant  is the larval host plant and nectar source for several kinds of butterflies.
Imported from Germany, the Plumbago  is available at Flower Paradise at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, Opposite Jumbo (Tel# 233-3029).  The white Plumbago is going at $600, and the sky-blue variety at $800.