PLUMBAGO

The bushes in front of the house are flowering at the moment and for a week or two it will be a wonderful sight. I planted white, light blue and the deeper blue varieties. The pale blue is the vigorous grower and has invaded the white and deeper blue bushes. The result is charming but I am afraid that there is going to be some damage control once the flowering period is over. I try to keep them as separate bushes rather than a continuous hedge.
Indigenous to South Africa this plant is found all over the world now. I gather that in days gone by it was used for...warts, broken bones, wounds, as snuff to ward off headaches, as protection for lightning and as an emetic for bad dreams!!! Not much left off that list.
The butterflies love the flowers and as children we used them as earrings in our dressing up games.