Podranea ricasoliana is a vigorous vining plant that blooms throughout the warm months of the year, when the plant is actively growing. The pink flowers appear in clusters on the ends of new growth. Each flower is about 2 inches across and lightly fragrant. Unfortunately the fragrance doesn't travel, so you'll have to stick your nose right into the bloom to catch the scent. There are about 18-20 flowers per cluster, opening several at a time.
Although this is a vining plant, the stems do not twine, grasp, or root onto their supports. Instead, the long flexible stems head skyward and simply lean or lay across supporting objects, which are often adjacent trees or shrubs. It quickly and easily climbs to 30 feet or more. When stems reach the top of a tree they arch over, and either flower or head back to the ground and form another plant.
If no vertical objects are nearby to climb, the stems run across the soil surface until they find a place to climb. Wherever stems contact the soil, they'll send out roots and start a new plant so it's imperative to keep horizontal shoots clipped off. Old plants develop a woody trunk that is deeply furrowed with a corky texture.
Leaves are dark green, pinnate, opposite on the stem, and 6-8 inches in length.
It's unclear where
Podranea originated, but it is common in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The plant will grow in nearly any location, surviving heat, drought, and several degrees of frost. Flowering is best in full sun. It is recommended for USDA Zones 9-11, but may survive as a perennial in slightly colder locations.
Common names include pink trumpet vine and Port St. Johns creeper.
6 comments:
What a lovely flowering vine.
The flowers remind of Incarvillea delavayi (Hardy Gloxinia)I grow in my garden during the summer.
Its a lovely plant. I have this in my garden which I've been trying to cultivate into a tree by cutting off all lateral branches.
Lovely!
Gaz: Alternative Eden
I have this in my garden. Thanks for the tip about removing horizontal growth.
How can I force my Podranea Ricasoliana to flower? It flowered once a couple of years ago and although it's very healthy with many leaves it just won't flower. Would be grateful for any advice.
Here are some suggestions to help your Podranea flower. Give it full sun, water only when it wilts, and don't give it any fertilizer. This should slow down the amount of leafy growth it's putting out and allow flower buds to form on the tips of the branches instead of more leaves. Good luck!
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