Have Osmanthus fruitlandii, Leucothoe 'Rainbow', Hydrangea 'Merritt Supreme', Hellebores, Passiflora. Pollia, Rhodea. See my trade list. Thanks!

Some growers have reported that it reseeds, but I have never experienced that problem beyond 1-2 seedlings per year, if that. They spread by suckers that come up near the base of the parent plant. Sometimes branches that come in contact with the soil will also root. I usually propagate them by just taking one of the rooted suckers and sticking it in the ground where I wanted a new plant. They reestablish quite easily that way. You could try by seed if you prefer, but if the parent is a cultivar that has specific characteristics you desire, it must be propagated vegetatively. These plants get very large; that bed in the photo is going to be overrun quickly. Drastic pruning can feel like a loosing battle on plants with mature root systems--top growth comes back strong and quickly. To keep mine in check, and under 50sq' in size, I resorted to digging up my plant by the roots and just letting the remaining roots resprout. These plants know how to fill a green waste bin in a hurry! But they are loved by marine blue butterflies here and are nice, but tough, plants that are always in bloom, so whenever my yard is large enough there usually is one planted.

I've grown P. auriculata for years as a blooming potted plant for the summer, it looks great paired with bright raspberry reds and orange/mango colored flowers. Like many things that bloom constantly, it is a heavy feeder, so fertilize regularly (according to package directions) with something like Miracle Gro. You will get more bloom if you deadhead, but even with no deadheading the bloom is constant and copious. It's very easy to winter over, and if your window is sunny enough, it will bloom on and off all winter. It will get leggy inside regardless (blooming or not), so you just need to give it a good haircut before putting it out in the spring. I usually cut it back to about 6" to 8" tall and it sprouts out all over the place. I often take the opportunity to repot at haircut time, knocking much of the soil off the roots and replacing with fresh. After a few years it will get pretty woody at the base and doesn't come back as well from the hard prunings, at which point I usually get a new one. But, if you hate to throw away a plant, it does sucker and you can separate them and start new plants. I've read it's easy to propagate from root cuttings, but have not tried it myself. It's one of my favorite plants for summer color, that shade of blue is just unbeatable. - Steve

I hate to bring up this dastardly topic, but the Japanese Beetles love mine, first it was the leaves, now the blooms. In a way it makes it easier to get more of them at once. But I see a hole in the soil and am afraid to bring it in for the winter for fear that larvae will hatch out and eat the roots. I'm out of Grubex and don't know if it would be safe to put some in anyway, and I don't have any Milky Spore. My best option is to repot it, cut back the roots, prune back the growth, hope I don't kill it doing that, but if anybody knows anything safe I can treat the soil with, I'd like to know. It would take 3 years to get a plant as nice as mine is now starting from a small, affordable one again. I try not to clutter up with houseplants, but this plumbago and my Sinbad begonia are worth saving if I can so I bring them in for the winter. I've ordered enough plants this year but would like to try the ground cover version at some point, think it would be pretty, but it may not survive our winters and be hard to winter protect. I gamble on things I really like though.