What's that Pretty Blue Flowering Shrub I See All Around San Antonio?

That pretty blue flowering shrub you're seeing in San Antonio right now is the

blue plumbago.  It is the favorite blue-flowered plant for our area. It has a growth habit like a tomato. It will grow up fences or walls or spread along the ground if it is not contained.


The foliage of blue plumbago is light green and generally evergreen. The winter of 2009-10 was an exception when most plumbagos froze to the ground but resprouted.  The quarter-size flat flower is light blue. Butterflies will feed from the flowers all year if the winter is mild. Blue plumbago prospers in sun or shade.  This photo is from my back yard in an area that gets morning and afternoon sun.  It's light blue color looks amazing near the blue waters of my pool.

There are other blue-flowering plants and shrubs in the San Antonio area... blue salvias,  the blue-flowered vitex, and the dwarf Mexican petunia which comes in blue or pink varieties.  It is an outstanding ground cover for sun or shade with an attractive blue-purple bloom. The bloom resembles a petunia but is more tubular. It is a favorite nectar source for butterflies and hummingbirds.

Happy gardening San Antonio... and why not add a little blue into your garden this summer?