Finally the inspiration for a new post
– the all new Dozen for Diana. Hopefully this year I will be able
to contribute all 12.
I have been wanting to write about this
amazing plant since I discovered it in 2011. I first saw it growing
on the fence at the nursery in Helderberg Nature Reserve. It made
such a stunning display I just had to try it. At the time I could
find very little information on it, the only thing I knew was that it
was a fast growing, sun loving creeper from the Western Cape. I
planted it in a pot against one of the supports of our pergola. Well
it certainly lived up to it's other common name – “Mile a minute
vine”. Everyday when I came home from work I dashed outside to
check on it's progress and sure enough it had grown by about 5cm.
It has beautiful heart-shaped leaves and typical pea type flowers which change colour with age, so at flowering time the vine will have pink, mauve, magenta and purple flowers in profusion.
I have to admit that it was possibly
not the ideal choice for a pergola as it does not want to grow across
the top. It does however make a great quick covering for an ugly wall
or fence.
I planted another 3 young plants in May last
year against a really ugly wall.
By November they had almost fully
covered the wall.
They do need a little encouragement to
grow along the lateral supports as they seem to prefer to grow
vertically.
I would highly recommend these to any Cape gardener.
However if you live in Australia then avoid them and eradicate them
now if they are already growing. Like many South African plants
growing there they have a tendency to be invasive.
Plantzafrica have since added it to
their wonderful site. See Dipogon lignosus for more info.
