Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
White Cape Plumbago
White Cape Plumbago is the white-flowered form of cape plumbago, with snow-white, phlox-like clusters from spring through fall. It is a vigorous, mounding shrub on long, arching branches that ramble over slopes and spill out of raised beds. Use it as a large background shrub or a big groundcover on a bank. Butterflies work the flowers all season.
Best for: large background plantings, groundcover on slopes and banks, raised beds and planters it can spill from, and fences it can lean on. It flowers white from spring through fall.
It grows into a large, mounding shrub about 4 to 10 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. Put it at the back of a bed, where the white flowers light up a big background space.
The long, arching branches ramble over sloped banks, so it makes a big groundcover that helps hold the soil. Plan on each plant covering 6 to 10 feet.
Plant it at the edge of a raised bed or a large planter, and the branches spill over the side. It also grows well as a container plant.
Too much water gives you fewer flowers, so let the soil dry between waterings. A hard frost can burn it back, though it regrows. Trimming it into a formal shape removes the flowers, so give it room instead.
- Border or mass planting4-6 ft apart
- Tight group4 ft apart
Water every 2 to 3 days for the first few weeks, then stretch out the time between waterings. Once it is rooted, water deeply and let the soil dry between waterings, since overwatering cuts down the flowers.
Prune in late winter or early spring, when it blooms the least, to control its size and refresh it. Skip formal shearing, which removes the flowers.
A freeze can burn it back. Wait until frost danger passes in early spring, then cut out the dead stems. It regrows quickly from the roots.
Yellow leaves are common in alkaline desert soil, since plumbago prefers neutral to slightly acid soil.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is White Cape Plumbago the same plant as blue plumbago?
Yes. It is the white-flowered form of cape plumbago, and its size, growth and care match the blue form. Only the flower color is different.
How big does White Cape Plumbago get?
It mounds about 4 to 10 feet tall and spreads 6 to 10 feet wide on long, arching branches. Plant it where it has that much space.
When does it bloom?
It blooms from spring through fall, with snow-white clusters at the branch tips. Butterflies visit the flowers the whole season.
Does it take full sun in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun to part shade. In the Valley, plant it where it gets afternoon shade in midsummer so the leaves do not scorch.
How often should I water it?
Water it often for the first few weeks, then taper off. Once it is rooted, water deeply and let the soil dry out between waterings, since too much water means fewer flowers.
Can I use it on a slope?
Yes. It rambles over sloped banks and works as a large groundcover that helps hold the soil in place.
How cold can it take?
The leaves hold up to about 25°F. A harder freeze can burn it back, but the roots survive and it regrows quickly in spring.
When and how should I prune it?
Prune it in late winter or early spring, when it is blooming the least. It flowers on new growth, so a pruning refreshes it. Avoid shearing it into a tight shape, which cuts off the flowers.
Why does my plumbago have yellow leaves?
Yellow leaves are common on plumbago in alkaline desert soil, because it prefers neutral to slightly acid soil.
White Cape Plumbago for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
White Cape Plumbago is cape plumbago with snow-white flowers instead of blue. Below is what to expect from it in a Valley yard. It covers size, slopes, sun, water, bloom season, frost, pruning and how it compares to the blue form.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
What is White Cape Plumbago?
It is the white-flowered form of cape plumbago, a South African shrub grown all over the Sonoran Desert. It has snow-white, phlox-like clusters from spring through fall.
How big does white plumbago get in Arizona?
It grows about 4 to 10 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide on long, arching branches. Give it plenty of space, since trimming it into a formal shape removes the flowers.
Is white plumbago good for slopes and banks?
Yes. Its branches ramble over sloped banks, so it works as a large groundcover that helps hold the soil. Plan on each plant covering 6 to 10 feet.
How often do you water white plumbago?
Water often for the first few weeks, then taper off. Once rooted, water deeply and let the soil dry between waterings. Too much water gives you fewer flowers, so hold back once it is growing well.
Is white plumbago frost hardy in the Valley?
The leaves hold up to about 25°F. A harder freeze can burn it back, but it regrows from the roots in spring. Cut off the dead stems once frost danger passes.
White plumbago vs blue plumbago
They are the same plant in two flower colors, with the same size, sun, water and pruning needs. Pick the one whose color you want in the bed.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.