Plumbago And Allamanda - Beautiful Shrubs

The Plumbago and Allamanda are two very different looking sub - tropical and tropical shrubs. They each represent their own beauty and distinct characteristics. Many gardens would be ideal for both of these tropical plants.

In the tropics section there are other plants that would add beauty with these two plants in your tropical landscape. I wanted to share a couple of photos and brief descriptions of these two beautiful tropical specimens.

The Plumbago is native to South Africa. It also can be found in many Caribbean, and Central and South American countries. It will grow well in zones 9B - 11 in the United States.

This plant is considered an evergreen and does well in full sun to partial shade. It is drought tolerant once it is established. The shrub can adapt to almost any type of soil. It is a medium grower and will mature five to seven feet high and five to seven feet wide.



The flowers are delicate and small in size. They come in a soft shade of white and blue. There are small clusters of flowers, and this shrub reminds me somewhat of a Little Princess Spirea, which grows in zones three through nine.

The Plumbago's flowers are noted for their nectar and attracting butterflies. This plant specimen looks great along a foundation, in containers, mass planting, along a bank and as a hedge. It's a great shrub in any tropical garden.



The Allamanda is a flowing tropical plant that can mature up to fifteen feet tall. Is is native to Tropical America, especially Brazil, but will also grow in other warm climates.

I noticed the Allamanda immediately on my recent trip to the Thomas Edison Winter Estate in Fort Myers, Florida. The vibrant yellow flowers stood out around the surrounding plants.

My first glance of this gorgeous flower reminds me of the Carolina Jasmine photo in the landscape article section. Although the Allamanda has a larger flower, the shape and smooth texture of the flowers resemble each other.

The Allamanda is temperamental to frost temperatures and should be protected when the temperature dips to 30 degrees Fahrenheit or around -1 degree Celsius. This plant can take full sun or partial shade and will thrive if the soil is well drained.

One of the advantages of growing this shrub is it can be pruned to keep its natural form, or can be trained on a trellis or decorative wall.

Both the Plumbago and the Allamanda add a great accent to any outdoor feature. Consider tropical ornaments in a couple of places throughout your garden. A bird bath and bird feeder will give balance throughout the garden or landscape.



The Allamanda is great to put on a trellis behind a bench or in front of evergreen trees or shrubs.

A stunning look to a garden is a combination of solid and variegated trees or shrubs acting as a privacy backdrop.

In front of the backdrop, plant either a mass planting of each specimen or alternate each one of them. This creates such a colorful garden.

Both the Plumbago and the Allamanda are great plants for a tropical landscape area or garden. I hope you have enjoyed this page on two exquisite tropical plant specimens.