Posted by Stephanie | Posted in Annuals | Posted on 01-02-2008
Everyone around here at Park Seed knows that I'm a huge fan of flowering vines. There's an appeal to climbers that I just can't quite explain. The problem with many vines, such as climbing roses, is that many, if not most, of them are perennials, and that is a commitment, especially with a vine that you're unsure of how it will look. That's one thing that I love about our Corkscrew Vine (Vigna caracalla): It's an annual outside of zones 10 and 11, so you're only committed for a year.
It's a fast grower, though, so you'll get the benefit of a full-sized flowering vine for a single year. It's perfect to grow over a mailbox or up a trellis, and the mounds of flowers that it produces from mid-summer to early fall are not just stunning, but really interesting. The nautilus-like blooms are also wonderfully, but not overpoweringly, fragrant (I love having fragrant flowers over my mailbox, so that I get to smell them whenever I go to get the paper and mail in the evening after work). Also, if you prefer, you can grow Corkscrew Vine in a container and overwinter it indoors to keep it as a perennial. Just be sure to water it lightly during the winter, and you can enjoy this amazing flowering vine for years to come.
I am soooo happy you decided to tell us about this beautiful plant. I have been eyeing it for several years, and last summer, we finally got around to changing our mailbox to a large one, and taking out the tons and tons of small rocks around it the previous owners had dumped. I now have started a great rock garden. I painted the mailbox and pole brown, and I feel this plant would make the mailbox and garden “breathtaking”. Or, I have been thinking about putting it on a trellis at the back. Thanks to your pictures which truly show the size, and your advice about taking it indoors for the winter, I know it will become a part of the front as well as maybe several near the house, too. Thank you so much!
Thank you, Irene. You just made my whole day! I hope that this plant is everything you want from it and more.
Beautyfoul flowers… nice..
Best regards from Belgium..
From Guido… natuurmanjak…& white witch