Strongylodon macrobotrys

Jade vine

                                    
   ID#550
 
 
 

Additional Information: Purchased at Logee’s Greenhouses, CT.

http://www.logees.com

A rare flower form that puts on a stunning display! We saw this plant in its glory at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens Tropical House. This robust climber produces large chains of turquoise flowers, over a foot in length, from late spring through early summer. Rare and much sought after, this Philippine native requires room to grow. Its vining trunk needs to reach 3/4" in diameter before blooming begins.

Mine came in a 2.5”  pot.

HEIGHT X SPREAD: 4 - 8 ft , vine PLANT TYPE: Evergreen vine/ Tropical Min. temp. indoors 55F GROWTH RATE: Fast TEXTURE: medium LIGHT: Full sun to part shade WATER: Water freely during the growing season and sparingly in winter. SOIL: neutral to acidic
As observed in Coastal NC. BLOOMS: Spring and summer. Large chain of turquoise flowers over a foot long. Needs to reach 3/4” diameter to flower.The inflorescence is truly amazing. FRUIT AND SEED: Flowers are fertilized in nature by bats. The cylindrical pea pods are about 2 in long. Pieces of semi-ripe stem can be rooted with bottom heat. Seed should be sown as soon as ripe at 80ºF (26.7ºC) KEY FEATURES: green leaves are pale in color when just open and slowly over several days/weeks turn green. Leaves close at night.
A year cycle in the life of ...... at Mooring Hitch Placed the small vine in a large pot from the beginning. Made by friend Chuck Beattie of Oriental Iron Works a 9 ft. long iron hook hangs over pot to provide a place for the vine to climb. During the winter months the vine has climbs and exceeded to top I’m debating whether to clip it of leave it. Fertilized 2x month with for citrus (30-10-10) plus liquid iron. Careful not to overwater the oversize pot. Plant perish during flood 2012, prior it was very difficult to keep it happy: dislikes very hot temperatures and it finicky about water/humidity. I will not replaced it in such a small space.
          Mooring Hitch Gardens       
 
Sept. 2010

June 2012

Leaves at night

12/2010