The dentellaire of the Cape , or plumbago of the Cape , is a very beautiful plant originating in South Africa. It belongs to the family Plumbaginaceae. Its Latin name is Plumbago auriculata , Plumbago capensis or Plumbago will grandiflora .

Form

It is about a Arbuste sarmentous with the spread out port which can be trained; its stems are hails and diffuse and it can reach 3 to 7 m top under favorable conditions.

Its sheets are whole, simple and oval; they are laid out in an alternate way. In its country of origin, they are persistent, on our premises they fall partly (semi-persistent).

The superb flowering of a very soft blue begins in June and stops only in November.

The flowers have a corolla at tubular base from 4 to 6 cm length, finished by 5 spread out petals carrying a darker vein.

To cultivate

This Plumbago is not rustic in the majority of the areas of France: it tolerates the negative temperatures badly. The solution consists in protecting it during the Hiver.

The type of ground which will be appropriate to him best must be permeable and fertile, it will be necessary sufficiently to sprinkle it in estival period and to hold a sunny exposure to him.

Properties

Medicinal virtues allotted to the various species of plumbago are at the origin of their designation. The word plumbago comes from the capacity which one allotted to the plant to fight the Saturnisme (intoxication by lead) and the word dentelaire of its aptitude to look after the evils of Dent S.

The plumbago of Ceylon is used in tropical Médecine against the rheumatisms, the Dysenterie, the skin diseases, etc

External bonds

• the first version of this article comes from the Instants site of Season. It was recopied illegally, but finally its author, Geotges Fontès , gave his agreement to authorize his diffusion.