I have heard some people grow them in 8a and they return from freezes. Daves Garden reports it root hardy to 8a. I had a huge one in Orange Park that totally died to the ground in winter 2009/2010 when we had all those teensF nights. It returned fine.

They seem a bit hardier than Cestrum nocturnum that also returns from the roots here in 9a.

I bought a new one( tiny starter plant) and put it in the ground in my of my rose beds here, so the blue could compliment some warm pink and yellow roses. It stayed evergreen last winter and of course, this winter, we havent froze so its about 3ft kinda arching down. It is spread out instead of up which is what I want. I plan to keep it around 4 ft or less tall.

They dont need a lot of water so I water it less than the roses. Put it some where well draining.

I have read some folks in So FL espalier them up a trellis or have them draping over rockwalls.

I havent seen thrips on it yet. Thrips get on some of my roses but about the time the thrips show up, the squirrel and green tree frogs also show up. The thrips disappear. I can only guess the frogs are eating them. I dont spray at all here so if the frogs aren't eating them, I dont know where they would go all of a sudden lol. Happens every year.

My small plumbago, planted years ago, gets afternoon sun and rarely watered by me, RARELY BLOOMS, and lightly when it does. Why? Should I fertilize? I'm surprised it holds on year after year when all I do is trim it back.

I would try fertilizer. I usually throw some on mine when Im fertilizing the roses. Mine gets full sun, same as the roses. I read they bloom on new growth. My current plant isn't that big yet so I havent had to do much pruning.

In N FL they usually freeze back a little, if we get a freeze, so they they regrow and bloom on the new growth.

Plumbago is one of my favorite plants on my farm here in 9A/B. I've started over a dozen, easy to do. Also I have both the normal shade of blue and a darker not so common shade. Because I have such poor sandy soil I do throw horse manure on the bushes once a year and rarely cut them back . Most are in full sun and get no supplemental water. And they just keep blooming their pretty little faces off.

If doing poorly give some fertilizer, even Miracle Gro Bloom Booster or 10-10-10.