Blue-flowered Leadwort

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, the hardy blue-flowered leadwort, is a species of flowering plant in the plumbago family, native to China, where it is known as 蓝雪花 ().

 Growing to tall and broad, it is a mat-forming herbaceous perennial with small ovoid leaves and bright blue flowers in late summer and early autumn. The leaves may turn red or purple before falling.

Distribution: Ceratostigma plumbaginoides is native to eastern China, specifically Beijing and the provinces of Henan, Jiangsu, Shanxi and Zhejiang. It is usually found in rocky places, often in foothills.

Scientific name: Ceratostigma is derived from Greek, meaning ´horned stigma´. This is in reference to the ´shape of the stigmatic surface´.
The Latin specific epithet plumbaginoides signifies its resemblance to plants in the closely related genus Plumbago.

Cultivation: Ceratostigma plumbaginoides is grown as an ornamental plant in temperate climates, valued for its late season colour. It is hardy down to , but prefers a sunny, sheltered position in moist, well-drained soil. As it can become invasive, it is particularly suited to growing in a pot, or crevices in a dry stone wall. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society´s Award of Garden Merit.