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10/28/2007

Green Thumb Sunday: Corkscrew Vine

Corkscrew Vine


When I first started getting into a garden back in June I discovered this wonderful vine. Yes I am really really new to gardening. It all started for a search for vines after getting my curly locks ivy. That is when I found this beautiful vine with curly flowers in various shades. The flowers curl like a nautilus shell. They are beautiful mixed shades of pink, yellow, white, and purple. The corkscrew vines is often confused with the Snail Vine. Snail Vine has the same type of flowers but they are purple and are not fragrant. Corkscrew vines are very fragrant and grow up to 20 to 25 feet. They are tropicals so anywhere below a zone 7 are going to have trouble growing these. I'm zone 8b close to 9 and it's still hard for me.

I bought some seeds on ebay and started them in july. They bursted with vigor in a matter of days. They grew up to 3 inches in a week. Poor corkscrew vine came to a dreaded end of bad waterlogged soil again. I still have them in the same pot. They started to accumulate a strange black dust on them when they were still nice and green. I'm assuming it was some fungal thing from being to moist. The leaves started to get yellow and paper thin then they all fell off. New little leaves have grown but still yellow. I need to attempt to better their soil.

Last month I posted up a help thread in gardenweb asking if anyone knew what was wrong. A nice women from Hawaii had some seeds she offered to give me if I would like to try the vine again. So she sent me several of them. Those at the little seedling. I planted 4 to start inside and see if they will suffer the same as the others. I have heard that some have kept this as a houseplant but I would think it to be difficult.

So this is my attempt to have a green thumb. These seedling are doing great and I hope they will continue so I can see and smell the beautiful flowers someday.


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4 comments:

David (Snappy) said...

Another post, another plant i have not heard of.Every day is educational for me.The leaves look quite healthy in your photo.Love imagining flowers like nautilus shells.Its great trying new things, especially if they work :)

Priscilla George said...

Snappy-The photos I put up is the new seedlings. I'm starting them in a peat pot with a better soil mix. They are going to be inside for now until about March. They are supposed to take off in the heat so I hope they don't take off before I put them out. I would love them to cover my balcony railing with my morning glories and coral vine next year.
I always find new plants on others blogs too.

Bev said...

Hi Vanillalotus! Thanks for visiting my blog. As most gardeners do, I also started out now knowing much about this wonderful obsession. I've learned as I go along and reading Garden Web and others' blogs has really helped. I still consider myself a novice. Good luck, I can tell you have a passion for gardening!

Anonymous said...

Your seedlings look great and I love that shot of the hyacinth bean pod from the previous post! Beautiful and the beans are pretty also.