Words such as ‘spectacular’ and ‘stunning’ have been used to described Petrea volubilis, and that’s not hype. This woody plant, also known as Queen’s Wreath and Sandpaper Vine, produces impressive masses of blue-purple flowers displayed above paler star-shaped calices several times a year and bears a similarity to the wildly-popular temperate vine, Wisteria. The springtime…
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Did you know that the flowers of Bougainvillea are small and inconspicuous? That’s because the features that produce the spectacular colors found in this genus are actually bracts, modified leaves located at the point from which flowers develop. Thus bracts are an integral part of the flowering process, though they are not flowers themselves. …
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Fewer plants have a stranger appellation than Monstera deliciosa, but at least the name is half right! This sturdy aroid has been described by one prominent botanist as “probably the finest foliage plant ever introduced into horticulture.” But it is even more than that, because it produces a delicious fruit that combines the tastes of…
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One of the hardiest of vines introduced to the United States is Podranea ricasoliana, the Pink Trumpet Vine. During the fall, winter and spring it bears fragrant pale pink, bell-shaped flowers highlighted by red stripes. The glossy foliage is also attractive. The plant is one of the Bignoniaceae family, which also includes the Jacaranda Tree. The vine…
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This is a beautiful flowering vine; it blooms within the first year of planting. It is slightly cold sensitive and a very fast grower.