The Plumbago auriculatas flowers form spectacular clusters.

Plumbago comes from the Latin word plumbum, which means lead, after a European species that is said to cure lead posoning and has lead colour flowers, while auriculata means ear, from the Latin word auricular, derived from the plants ear-shaped leaf base. Native to the Cape Province of South Africa, plumbago was stowed away on a Dutch East Indies ship carrying slaves to South America during the 18th centery. The plant is commonly known as cape leadwort, cape plumbago or sky flower. Plumbago can be grown as a ground cover, border, low hedge, background plant or filler plant under taller scrubs. It can also be grown along fences or trained to climb a pole or drape over a wall. If grown in a pot, grow it as a free-standing shrub. This medium-textured plant can reach up to 1m high and wide. Regular pruning will keep it neat and mounded. If it gets bushy, it can bloom profusely as its flowers bear on new wood. Plumbago auriculata produces pale blue flowers and bright green leaves. In full bloom, there will be many rounded terminal clusters of flowers covering the entire shrub. What a spectacular sight! Plumbago auriculata var. alba is a white-flowered variety. Like the pale blue plumbago, it blends well with other plants. Growing the white and blue together makes for a good visual combination. 1. What are the Latin words for plumbago auriculata? a. plumb and auricula b. plumbums and auriculas c. plumbum and auricular d. plumbate and auriculate 2. Al of the following are the name of the plant except : a. cape leadwort b. sky flower c. cape plumbago d. sky auriculata 3. Why do you think plumbago auriculata was named after a European species? a. It can cure lead poisoning b. It has lead colour leaves c. It has ear-shaped leaf base d. It can create lead coloured stain 4. Where is the origin of plumbago auriculata? a. west Africa b. east Africa

c. d. 5. In which a. b. c. d.

south Africa north Africa century, the flower was stowed away? 14th 16th 18th 20th

6. Plumbago can be grown as the following except: a. along fences b. trained to climb a pole c. drape over a wall d. in a hanging basket 7. How to grow plumbago in a pot? a. as a ground cover b. as a free-standing c. as a low hedge d. as a filler plant 8. What is the colour of plumbago? a. pale blue flowers and bright green leaves b. dull blue flowers and glooming green leaves c. light blue flowers and cheery green leaves d. bright blue flowers and pale green leaves 9. How does plumbago creates a spectacular sight? a. triangled terminal clusters of flowers covering the entire scrub b. rounded terminal clusters of flowers covering the entire scrub c. triangled terminal clusters of flowers covering half of the scrub d. rounded terminal clusters of flowers covering half of the scrub 10. When is the most suitable time to watch the spectacular sight of the flower? a. half bloom b. full bloom c. end of the bloom d. in the middle of the bloom