Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Plumbago)

Does anyone know if this will root easily from cuttings? I have two small plants, and I'll like to create a lot more as fast as possible.

Its not the easiest-but I have rooted the blue, but so far not the white. It takes a few weeks-and good bottom heat helps a lot.

I haven't tried stem cutting, but I have found that a plant can be divided in early July into many single stems and they will take off like gang busters making a big clump quickly and still flower in August. Mine are very late to show in the spring so I wait until they are nicely leafed out. Patti

Mine spread like crazy, no need for cuttings!

I have tried several times from cuttings with no success. Maybe stressbaby has something there - maybe layering might be the best way.

I thought they might serve my purposes on a small hill that rises up from our lawn, and that is hard to find just the right plants for. It is filled by an oak tree's roots, so the soil is not perfect, not is the soil moisture. But I think I can keep them going. They may not be so happy that they spread, though, which is why I want to propagate. Maybe I need to plant them elsewhere where they'll be happy, let them spread a bit, then move them to the more challenging location.

This message was edited Feb 2, 2007 11:15 AM

SB-what do you mean that they spread like crazy? Did you have a plant outside in the ground over the summer ? Did it spread by runners? I don't remember exactly-but I could have sworn that my plant was a single stem and couldn't be divided. Are we talking about the same plant-the common blue plumbago that is not hardy in our zones? Maybe I should look up this botanical name...

I was talking about Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Plumbago), which is hardy to 6a according to PlantFiles.

This message was edited Feb 2, 2007 9:32 AM

tigerlily, I think the plumbago you're talking about is the tender, bushy plant with light blue clusters of bloom:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/8326/

This is the one Happy is inquiring about:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/63119/

The latter is hardy for me, and emerges late in spring. Later still babies show up a few inches away from the original clump, and I have removed those for new starts. They had long runners connecting them to the mother plant, but not really any roots. So they looked like cuttings and did take hold after a while. I'm wondering if you need some of the underground stem to start them?

I'm interested in experience others have had with this too, I'd like to have several for a new area :)
Neal

Thanks guys for clearing that up! Makes more sense to me now.....so just disregard what I wrote lol

I think this is the right plant and it is in a very open spot. If it isn't, it's the other species. I wonder if stooling it would promote roots on the stems for propagation.

Wow, what a nice spread. .. .