Flower · GBIF taxon 3082279
Blue Leadwort
Ceratostigma plumbaginoidesAlso known as Hardy Plumbago, Leadwort
Blue leadwort emerges late in spring with wiry stems and fresh green foliage that transitions into rich bronze and crimson tones by autumn. Intense gentian-blue flowers burst open in late summer, providing a vital late-season nectar source as many other garden perennials fade. Spreading via underground rhizomes, it forms dense, weed-suppressing carpets on rocky banks, sunny borders, and open woodland slopes.
PerennialFloweringGround Cover
Licensed referenceno rights reserved · cc0
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis via sunlight, water, and soil nutrients)
Predators
- Slugs
- Snails
ThreatsHabitat loss in native range, winter root rot in waterlogged soils, and aggressive weed competition during early spring emergence
HabitatsSunny rocky slopes, forest margins, open woodland edges, and cultivated gardens
Life span10 to 20 years (perennial spreading by rhizomes)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderCaryophyllales
- FamilyPlumbaginaceae
- GenusCeratostigma
- SpeciesCeratostigma plumbaginoides
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Spring Patience: Wait until late spring before assessing winter survival, as shoots emerge very late.
- Soil Drainage: Plant in sharply draining gritty soil to prevent dormant rhizomes from rotting in cold wet winters.
Close Relative (c) Wang.QG, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Same Family (c) Huey, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Huey · cc-by
Same Family no rights reserved, uploaded by 葉子 · cc0
Same Family Meneerke bloem / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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