|
 It
is a much branched, evergreen shrub that reaches about 6 feet (2
meters) in nature. Dark green leaves are ovate to 6 inches (30 cm)
long by half as wide. They are fast growing plants, but their size
is easily controlled by pot size and pruning. h
Blooming Time: The flowers are white in showy dense racemes and will
flower all year long. Individual flowers are up to ½ inch (a bit
more than 1 cm) across.
Culture: Plumbago zeylanica need full sun to partial shade with
intermediate to warm temperatures. The plant needs a slightly acidic
potting mix with no lime added. After flowering, the plants should
be cut back to keep them growing vigorously. The fruits are like a
small cocklebur with glue on the soft spines and they will stick to
anything.
Propagation: Plumbago zeylanica are propagated by cuttings, division
of older plants or by seed. Fresh seed (which form in abundance
within 3 weeks of flowering if grown right) is the best way Medical
use: The roots are acrid, astringent, thermogenic, anthelmintic,
constipating, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, abortifacient,
alterant, antiperiodic, caminative, digestive, sudorific, narcotic,
gastric and nervous stimulant and rejuvenating. They are useful in
dyspepsia, colic, inflammations, cough, bronchitis, helminthiasis,
haemorrhoids, elephantiasis, chronic and intermittent fever,
leprosy, leucaderma, ring-worm, scabies, hepatosplenomegaly,
amenorrhoea, odontalgia, vitiated conditions of vata and kapha and
anaemia. |
