How to Grow Plumbago Royal Cape - Plant Care & Tips

By NorwichGardener Team / 2025

Plumbago royal cape is a flowering plant that is native to South Africa. The plant has showy, blue flowers that bloom from summer to fall. The plant is drought tolerant and does best in full sun.

How to Grow Plumbago Royal Cape - Plant Care & Tips

Popular name

Blue leadwort
White leadwort
Red leadwort
Yellow leadwort
Pink leadwort

Good to Know

Plumbago royal cape is a trailing, evergreen shrub.
It has oblong, dark green leaves and produces clusters of small, blue flowers.
It is native to South Africa and prefers full sun to partial shade.
It is drought tolerant and does not require much water once established.
It is an excellent choice for containers or hanging baskets.
It can be propagated by stem cuttings.
It is generally pest and disease free.
It can be pruned to maintain a desired shape or size.
It can tolerate salt and windy conditions.
It is an excellent plant for attracting bees and butterflies.

Related plant:
Plumbago Hedge

Growing Steps

For plumbago royal cape, first step is to find a good location for planting. Try to choose an area with full sun and well-drained soil.
After that, prepare your planting hole. It should be twice as wide and deep as the root ball of your plumbago royal cape.
After that, you can remove your plumbago royal cape from the container. Be careful when handling the plant because its roots are fragile.
After that, position your plant in the planting hole. Make sure that the top of the root ball is level with the ground.
After that, backfill the planting hole with the soil you removed earlier.
Water your plant deeply after planting.
For the first few weeks, water your plumbago royal cape regularly to help it establish its root system.
Once established, plumbago royal cape is quite drought tolerant. However, it will still benefit from weekly watering during prolonged periods of drought.
Fertilize your plant once a year with a slow-release fertilizer.
Plumbago royal cape is a fast-growing plant. You can prune it back hard in late winter or early spring to encourage new growth.

Related plant:
Cape Plumbago

Soil Condition

About soil condition, the best type of soil for Plumbago Royal Cape is well-drained, sandy soil. This plant does not like to sit in wet, mucky soil. If you have heavier soil, mix in some sand to help with drainage. The plant is drought-tolerant once established, so it does not need a lot of water. During prolonged dry periods, you may need to give it a deep watering to keep it looking its best.

Light condition

Just like other plumbagos, the Royal Cape prefers full sun to partial shade, although it will tolerate more shade than other species. It is a tough, adaptable plant that can cope with a range of growing conditions, including drought and salt spray.

The Temperature

The temperature conditions for plumbago royal cape are quite warm, with an average temperature around 18 degrees Celsius. This plant grows best in full sun to partial shade, and can tolerate some drought once established. It is a tough plant that is not fussy about soil type, as long as it is well-drained.

Humidity Requirement

Ideal humidity condition for this plant is 45%-55%. The Plumbago Royal Cape does not tolerate long periods of dryness well and will start to drop its leaves if the humidity levels are too low. If the humidity levels are too high, the leaves will start to turn brown and drop off.

Fertilizer Requirement

Regarding fertilizer, this family of plant doesn't require high levels of nutrients. In fact, too much nitrogen will cause the foliage to become more green than blue. The best way to provide nutrients is through a slow-release fertilizer or by composting. If you want to add an organic mulch such as peat moss, make sure it doesn't contain high levels of nitrogen. When it comes to the root system, make sure the plumbago has well-draining soil. If the roots sit in water, they will rot.

Light requirement

Pruning plumbago royal cape is best done in late winter or early spring. This plant blooms on new growth, so pruning will encourage more flowers. To prune, simply cut back the stems to about 6 inches.

The Propagation

Propagation of plumbago royal cape is done through cuttings. Cuttings should be taken from new growth and should be 6-8 inches long. Cuttings should be placed in a well-drained rooting medium and kept moist. Cuttings will root in 4-6 weeks. Once rooted, cuttings can be transplanted into their permanent location.

Growth Speed

Usually, the plant growth rate is determined by the amount of sunlight and water the plant receives. With enough sunlight and water, the growth rate of plumbagoes can be quite fast, reaching up to 3 feet in a single growing season. Royal cape plumbagos can also tolerate periods of drought, but they will not grow as quickly during these times.

The Problems

Common problems for this kind of plant are its tendency to be leggy and its susceptibility to spider mites. To combat these problems, prune the plant regularly to encourage new growth, and check the plant regularly for spider mites.