Practical
Plants

Ceratostigma willmottianum

Chinese Plumbago

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Ceratostigma genus in the family Plumbaginaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
1 m
Spread
1 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Distrust of self', 'Doubt of one's ability' and 'Foolishness'[3].

Product or use
Bach

Environment

Range
E. Asia - W. China to Tibet.
Habitat
Warm valleys at forest edges or in thickets; 700--3500 m. Gansu (Wen Xian), W Guizhou, S and W Sichuan, SE Xizang, E and N Yunnan[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - we have no details for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse in the spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division of rooted suckers in the spring[2]. Layering in the spring. Plants often self-layer[2]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood in a closed frame[2]. Plants should be overwintered in a frost-free frame or greenhouse for their first winter[2].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a light moderately fertile and retentive soil with good drainage, though it tolerates poor dry soils[2] and grows well on chalk[1]. Requires a sunny position[1][2]. Plants are not fully hardy in Britain, especially if treated as shrubs, but if treated as herbaceous perennials they succeed outdoors in areas where winter temperatures do not fall below about -10 to -15°c[2]. When the woody stems survive the winter it is best to prune them hard in the spring in order to obtain better flowering[1]. Plants flower best on the current years growth[2]. Most, if not all the plants in cultivation in Britain, derive from an original two plants raised from seed in 1908[1]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[2]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[4].

References

  1. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  2. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9

  3. Chancellor. P. M. Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies C. W. Daniel Co. Ltd. 1985-00-00 ISBN 85207 002 0

    ↩

  4. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩

  5. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩

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