3322 Pink Pandora Vine ( Bower Vine ) Pandorea jasminoides pink
Pandorea is an excellent vine to grow in large containers. When outfitted with a trellis these make beautiful portable screens of foliage that can be moved around as needed to block an eyesore or just to create a romantic mood.
Several times a year this talented vine covers inself in large fragrant flowers causing you to congratulate yourself for having the luck to grow this beautiful vine. Graceful form, attractive foliage and a rather rapid rate of growth make pandorea a perfect vine for covering arbors, trellises, summer houses and other structures in warm climates. Bower vine looks great growing on a tree with the flowers cascading down the trunk.
Bower vine, or pandorea, is a bushy, twining vine with woody stems and pinnate, evergreen leaves. The 5-9 lance shaped leaflets are 1-2 in (2.5-5 cm) long. Fragrant pink to red tubular flowers are clustered in hanging panicles. They bloom in warm weather, from spring through summer.
USDA Zones 8-9. Pandorea is evergreen in USDA Zone 9, and a returning perennial in zone 8 if the roots are protected during hard freezes.

3211 Blue Pea Vine ( Clitoria ternatea )
One of our favorite plants for hanging baskets, blooms in only 6 weeks from seed. A fast growing climber with beautiful blue and sometimes white flowers. It can be grown in baskets and containers, and blooms all year, or it can be grown outside on trellis or fence. A drought hardy plant which can be used as a fast growing screen along fences. Attracts butterflies. Produces a small pea type seed which is used as food in the Phillipines.

JF211 Emerald Falls MSP ( Dichondra repens )
Vigorous and easy to grow, this Dichondra boasts thick, super-soft deep green leaves (about an inch wide) arising profusely on very well-branched plants that need no pinching. Emerald Beauty will cascade about 3 feet from your baskets, windowboxes, or other containers, but it will also form a nicely domed shape that fills the available space beautifully!
Very heat- and drought-tolerant, Emerald Falls recovers quickly even if wilted, and looks fresh all season long. Try it in a large container behind super-cascading Silver Falls, or among trailing flowering plants from Periwinkle to Sweet Pea.
Emerald Falls thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Start the seeds indoors in late winter (about 6 to 8 weeks before last anticipated frost) and then set out when the weather warms up in spring.
Multiseed Pellets ( each pellet contains 6-8 seeds ).

1A218 Scarlet Runner Bean ( Phaseolus coccineus )
Edible and beautiful. One of the oldest runner beans now in existence. First documented in 1750. Good for use as either small snaps, sliced pods or green shells, and often used in place of limas in cooler climates. Highly ornamental. Needs a trellis, fence or pole to train on, 65 days.

W199 Chilean Jasmine ( Mandevilla suaveolens )
A moderately fast growing semi-deciduous slender stemmed twining vine that grows to 12 feet or more wide and high with support and develops a succulent subterranean caudex. It has luxurious 6 inch long bright green glossy leaves with a long tapering point and an abundance of fragrant white flowers in summer months.
The tubular flowers are 2 inches long and flare open to 2 œ inches wide with what is described as a heady vanilla aroma most pronounced in the evening but some seem not to be able to smell it at all. The flowers are followed by pairs of long bean-like fruit pods - these fruit and the fragrance cause some to call this plant the vanilla bean vine though it certainly should not be used in cooking. Plant in full to part sun (blooms best in full sun) and water occasionally to regularly. Tolerates most soils and is root hardy to at least 12° F (we have seen claims to below 0° F) and deciduous in most California gardens as temperatures near freezing. Prune in late winter prior to new growth starting and watch for aphids on the flower buds.

1A219 Sunset Runner Bean ( Phaseolus coccineus )
Edible and beautiful. Unique variety with salmon-pink blooms. Very early blossoming and maturing, nice crops of short and very flavorful beans throughout the season. Excellent for freezing. Needs a trellis, fence or pole to train on, 60-65 days.

2235 Cypress Vine Mix ( Ipomoea Quamoclit )
Ipomoea quamoclit, syn. Quamoclit pennata.) This easy-care vine is great for high-margin container sales. Vigorous and fast-growing with fern-like, feathery bright green foliage and 3/4-inch trumpet-shaped blooms from summer to fall. Easily grows 6 feet; can reach 25 feet. Full sun. Cannot ship to AR, AZ, PR

D9606 Hyacinth Bean ( Dolichos Lab-Lab )
Lablab bean is a twining vine with leaflets in threes and showy bright purple flowers and pods. In frost-free areas the vine becomes woody and can reach more than 30' in length. In zones 9 and colder, the vine remains herbaceous and rarely exceeds 10'. The leaflets are purplish-green, broad-oval or triangular in shape and 3-6" long. The flowers are pea-like, a rich, brilliant purple, and arranged in loose clusters on long stems that extend above the foliage. The pods are just as showy as the flowers. They are flat and curved, about 3" long and bright purple.
Easy to grow in poor, acidic to alkaline soils. Lablab beans take 90-150 days from sowing to maturity. Immature pods can be picked sooner. Needs full sun for best growth. Requires well-drained soil. Once established, lablab bean is drought tolerant, more so than most beans.
Young immature pods are cooked and eaten like green beans (older pods may need to be de-stringed). They have a strong, beany flavor and some people like to mix them with other beans or green vegetables. Unfortunately, the purple color disappears during cooking. Young leaves are eaten raw in salads and older leaves are cooked like spinach. Flowers are eaten raw or steamed. The large starchy root tubers can be boiled and baked. The immature seeds can be boiled and eaten like any shelly bean. Dried seeds should be boiled in two changes of water before eating since they contain toxic levels of cyanogenic glucosides. In Asia the mature seeds are made into tofu and fermented for tempeh. They are also used as bean sprouts.
Lablab bean is a good choice for a quick screen on a trellis or fence. It grows fast, has beautiful, fragrant flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds, and it even produces edible leaves, flowers, pods, seeds and roots. Each summer I train a vine or two of lablab up the clothes line pole just for the color and fragrance.

New! 2222 Puple Flowered Hyacinth Bean "Moonshadow" ( Dolichos Lab-Lab )
With dark purple stems, flowers and leaves, it is a wonderful additon to the garden. Grows like the common Hyacinth Bean listed above.

JF171 White Flowered Hyacinth Bean ( Dolichos Lab-Lab )
This variety grows beautiful white flowers and thin pods. Young pods are harvested for vegetable use. Plants are vigorous and are often grown along trellis and fences in the Orient. It is almost necessary to harvest young pods every day during the actively growing season in the summer time.

RHM139 Myanmar Morning Glory Argyreia Wallichii
Very similar to the familiar Baby Woodrose. From the region formerly known as Burma. A vigorous thick vine developing large leaves from heart shape to nearly orbicular with some white in the underside. Produces numerous tubular funnel form flowers with the corolla whitish turning to pink or near purple.

2223 Scarlet Star Vine ( Ipomoea hederifolia )
Annual, Half-Hardy Climber. Freely twining its merry way eight or ten feet up a suitable support, it has attractive, dark green, vaguely Ivy-like, lobed foliage and bears over a long period in summer numerous long-stalked clusters of eye-catching, scarlet, funnel-shaped flowers, each an inch or more across. A most ornamental plant. Cannot ship to AR, AZ, PR

D8565 Bitter Gourd ( Citrullus Colocynthis )
Water melon like vine to 15 ft.or more. Bears small 6" three pound or so fruits. An attractive vine. The fruits have strong medicinal value.

D8575 Canary Bird Vine ( Tropaeolum peregrinum )
Annual vine. Lustrous canary yellow flowers on a vigorous vine with shiny green leaves. Flowers resemble small birds in flight. The flowers are edible.

D8577 Black Eyed Susan Vine
The perfect hanging basket vine. Dainty black-eyed-susan flowers and a healthy vine. Whether cascading from a hanging basket or twining up a trellis, black-eyed Susan vine provides a sunny splash of summer color. This flowering vine is an easy-care annual that provides months of showy yellow-orange flowers. Large, ivylike leaves provide a verdant backdrop for its bright flowers, which sport the distinctive dark center and give it the "black eye" of its common name.

D9872 Black-Eyed Susan Vine, Orange/White Mix
A dainty vine that can be used for ground covers or as a low climber. Excellent for hanging baskets. Triangular leaves and tubular flowers in orange and white with a dark brown eye.

1A073 Whirlybird Gold Nasturtium
10” A bushy nasturtium with single blooms that are 2” across, spurless and face upward. Beautiful Gold color.

1A074 Glorius Gleam Mix Nasturtium
32” A trailing nasturtium with double to semi-double blooms in shades of yellow, orange and red with medium-green leaves.

1A075 Alaska Mix Nasturtium
9” The unique leaves of the Alaska series are dark green marbled with white. The flowers are all shades of red, yellow and orange. The plants are compact bushes.

1A076 Tall Single Mix Nasturtium
18-24” A trailing nasturtium with single blooms that are 2” across in shades of yellow, orange and red.

D9879 Jewels of Africa
Nasturtium with variegated foliage.
A variegated Nasturtium with a blend of yellow, red and peachy pink flower with marbled foliage, striped with cream, against a light green background. Excellent container or ground cover specimen.

W198 Black Velvet Nasturtium The blossoms, leaves and buds of this beautiful plant are edible and have a peppery taste. The blooms have a soft sweet scent up close and attract hummingbirds. he deepest, darkest, richest, ruby-black blooms grace tidy plants. For a dramatically thrilling display, Black Velvet provides maximum contrast to light-colored flowers or a provocative mix with purples and reds. Mounding plants reach 12 inches tall.

D9877 Giant Fragrant Moon Vine
Giant 6-8" pure white blooms open in the evening to release a sweet smelling perfume-like fragrance. Annual vine is great for fences or trellis.

2237 Royal Plum Cup and Saucer Vine ( Cobaea scandens )
5 Months of Blooms! Flowers mature from green to rich purple. Distinctive 2-inch bell-shaped blooms cover this fast-growing, pest-free 20-foot vine from June through October. Full sun. Treat as an annual.

2640 Giant Granadilla ( Passiflora quadrangularis )
The Giant Granadilla forms a larger leaf and is a more vigorous grower than the yellow passion fruit. This plant derives its botanical name from the fact that the stems are quad rangular in cross section. It is a vigorous grower that can grow 50 feet or more in a single season, for zones 10 and higher, or warm greenhouses.
Fruit of the giant granadilla reach a length of up to 12 inches and turn yellow when mature. The pulp around the seeds is used to flavor ice cream and to make a cooling drink. In addition, the flesh of this fruit is edible. The green fruit is boiled and eaten as a vegetable. The fully ripe flesh is eaten alone or in combination with such fruits as papaya and pineapple.

D9809 Herald's Trumpet ( Beaumontia grandiflora )
Also known as the Easter Lily Vine. A woody vine with large fragrant white flowers resembling lilies, and lush tropical foliage.
It is a strong growing climber which can reach 10' to 20' and requires full sun. Large, highly fragrant flowers appear in trusses. The leaves are glossy and dark green on the upper leaf surface, on the lower leaf surface they are hairy. Young shoots are also covered with brown hairs.
Pictures cannot even begin to describe the sight of a mature Beaumontia in full bloom. A big plant can be covered with many large flowers. Beaumontia does need mature to bloom, it may take a couple of years before you see the flowers. To produce the best display, this heavy climber with large leaves will need a strong structure. Without support the plant will form a large mound. It can be grown in pots but will not get very big or produce many flowers like the ones grown in the ground. Beaumontia is a tropical vine. It can tolerate a light frost for short periods but it is better to protect it if the temperature goes below freezing.

2903 Japanese Hops ( Humulus scandens )
Strong twining vine, green flowers in summer. Decorative fast growing vine, excellent for porches and screens.

2484 China Fleece Vine ( Polygonum aubertii )
Fast grower, massed lacy white flowers, dense green foliage, fragrant flowers, does very well in poor soils, perennial, hardy to zone 3.

FA48 Blue Wisteria Vine ( Wisteria sinensis )
Extremely popular vining plant that that eventually develops a thick trunk to 8'. Mature height is 25' or more. It produces masses of violet blue flowers appearing before the leaves. The racemes of flowers hang to 1 1/2' or more providing colorful display. The pinnate leaves are divided into 13 leaflets. Deciduous. Hardy to zone 5 and easily grown.

W183 White Cup and Saucer Vine ( Cobaea scandens )
This large climbing vine produces large, white, bell-shaped flowers on vines up to 20'. Rare, white flowered variety. Multiple tendrils grasp easily to rough surfaces like stone walls or a trellis. Can also be grown in large pots. Plants prefer sunny areas and a nice light, rich soil. Hardy to zone 7 and easily grown as an annual in colder climates.

W184 Chilean Glory Vine ( Eccremocarpus tresco mix )
Vigorous vines that grow 10 feet tall and produce many attractive flowers. The flowers come in a wide range of colors and the plants are very fast growing with tendrils and twining stems. The light green leaves are small, ovate in shape boldly veined. This species is grown as a half hardy annual, but plants grow from tuberous roots that produce new plants in warm locations. Plants do not transplant well, so start in deep cell plugs or in large pots were the plants are to grow. Very attractive to hummingbirds. Thrives on heat in full sun and only needs moderate moisture and a soil with good drainage. Wet soils cause root rot and cool temps slow plant growth. A March sowing produces flowering in July and plants will bloom until knocked down by cold in the fall. This selection is nice grown on walls and fences or scrambling into shrubs or small trees. Can also be grown in a cool greenhouse. Annual, or perennials in zones 8-11.

W185 Trumpet Vine ( Campsis radicans )
Hummingbirds love this plant! A very vigorous growing climber with aerial roots and the ability to grow to 20-30'. The flowers are attractive with a rich orange and scarlet-red combination and shaped like little trumpets. They are between 2 to 3 inches long, and 1 to 2 inches wide. When this plant is in bloom, it can be quite stunning. Frost hardy perennial that can be grown as an annual in cold zones, or perennials in zones 4-9.
This easily grown vine has been cultivated in North America since Colonial times. It is best used in woodland gardens and natural areas where it has space to grow. It will quickly cover fences and other structures and keeping it in bounds may require some effort on your part - especially in fertile soils. In frost free areas growth is rampant and the vines should be cut back in winter to keep the vine in bounds. The vines also sucker freely from the roots and these can be managed with lawn mower and shears during the summer to prevent rampant colonization.
It's easy to grow trumpet creeper on arbors but remember that the aerial roots use a powerful adhesive substance to cement themselves to supports which almost certain to ruin paint surfaces. Trumpet vine is not recommended for planting near structures.
Trumpet creeper is one of the best plants for attracting hummingbirds to your yard as it produces quantities of nectar rich blossoms all summer long.
The trumpet shaped flowers are big and beautiful and will attract hordes of hummingbirds from miles around.

IM001 Carolina Snailseed ( Cocculus carolinus )
Also known as Red-berried Moonseed, Carolina Moonseed, Coral-bead, Coral-seed, Coral Vine, and sometimes Wild Sarsaparilla.
In late summer and early fall, Carolina snailseed's long clusters of brilliant red fruits can be seen dangling from high in tall trees as well over shrubs and anything else nearby. It is a slender, twining vine that grows in rich soils, swampy areas, forest margins, often near streams, in the eastern half of Texas. Birds are fond of the fruit and have planted most of the plants found climbing up trees and shrubs. The common name refers to the seed, which resembles a snail shell. Does well in sun or shade, a good fence cover. Hardy for zones 5-7. Perennial.

D8566 Cassabanana ( Sicana odorifera )
Needs hot weather to set fruit, best grown in higher zones. The vine is perennial, herbaceous, fast-growing, heavy, requiring a strong trellis; climbing trees to 50 ft (15 m) or more by means of 4-parted tendrils equipped with adhesive discs that can adhere tightly to the smoothest surface. Young stems are hairy. The leaves are gray-hairy, rounded-cordate or rounded kidney-shaped, to 1 ft wide, deeply indented at the base, 3-lobed, with wavy or toothed margins, on petioles 1 1/2 to 4 3/4 in (4-12 cm) long. Flowers are white or yellow, urn-shaped, 5-lobed, solitary, the male 3/4 in (2 cm) long, the female about 2 in (5 cm) long. Renowned for its strong, sweet, agreeable, melon-like odor, the striking fruit is ellipsoid or nearly cylindrical, sometimes slightly curved; 12 to 24 in (30-60 cm) in length, 2 3/4 to 4 1/2 in (7-11.25 cm) thick, hard-shelled, orange-red, maroon, dark-purple with tinges of violet, or entirely jet-black; smooth and glossy when ripe, with firm, orange-yellow or yellow, cantaloupe-like, tough, juicy flesh, 3/4 in (2 cm) thick. In the central cavity, there is softer pulp, a soft, fleshy core, and numerous flat, oval seeds, 5/8 in (16 mm) long and 1/4 in (6 mm) wide, light-brown bordered with a dark-brown stripe, in tightly-packed rows extending the entire length of the fruit.
The cassabanana is believed native to Brazil but it has been spread throughout tropical America. Historians have evidence that it was cultivated in Ecuador in pre-Hispanic times. It was first mentioned by European writers in 1658 as cultivated and popular in Peru. It is grown near sea-level in Central America but the fruit is carried to markets even up in the highlands. Venezuelans and Brazilians are partial to the vine as an ornamental, but in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Mexico it is grown for the usefulness of the fruit.

In 1903, O.F. Cook saw one fruit in a market in Washington, D.C. The United States Department of Agriculture received seeds from C.A. Miller, the American Consul in Tampico, Mexico, in 1913 (S.P.I. #35136). H.M. Curran collected seeds in Brazil in 1915 (S.P.I. #41665). Wilson Popenoe introduced seeds from Guatemala in 1916 (S.P.I. #43427). The author brought seeds from Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, to the Agricultural Research and Education Center, Homestead, in 1951. A resulting vine grew to large size but produced a single 2 ft (60 cm) fruit. Dr. John Thieret, formerly Professor of Botany at Southwestern Louisiana University, says that the Cajuns in the southern part of that state grow the cassabanana for making preserves. Verrill stated in 1937, "The fruit is now on sale in New York markets."
Fenzi says that the cassabanana is grown from seeds or cuttings. A high temperature during the fruiting season is needed to assure perfect ripening. Brazilians train the vine to grow over arbors or they may plant it close to a tree. However, if it is allowed to climb too high up the tree there is the risk that it may smother and kill it. The cassabanana remains in good condition for several months if kept dry and out of the sun. The fruit has high market value in Puerto Rico. It is cut up and sold by the piece, the price being determined by weight.
The ripe flesh, sliced thin, is eaten raw, especially in the summer when it is appreciated as cooling and refreshing. However, it is mainly used in the kitchen for making jam or other preserves. The immature fruit is cooked as a vegetable or in soup and stews.
People like to keep the fruit around the house, and especially in linen- and clothes-closets, because of its long-lasting fragrance, and they believe that it repels moths. It is also placed on church altars during Holy Week.
Medicinal Uses: In Puerto Rico, the flesh is cut up and steeped in water, with added sugar, overnight at room temperature so that it will ferment slightly. The resultant liquor is sipped frequently and strips of the flesh are eaten, too, to relieve sore throat. It is believed beneficial also to, at the same time, wear a necklace of the seeds around the neck.
The seed infusion is taken in Brazil as a febrifuge, vermifuge, purgative and emmenagogue. The leaves are employed in treating uterine hemorrhages and venereal diseases. In Yucatan, a decoction of leaves and flowers (2 g in 180cc water) is prescribed as a laxative, emmenagogue and vermifuge, with a warning not to make a stronger preparation inasmuch as the seeds and flowers yield a certain amount of hydrocyanic acid.

D8509 Kiwi Fruit ( Actindia chinensis )
Cold hardy to zone 4. Kiwis are vigorous vines. They cannot support their own weight and will spread up to 30 feet. They require strong support such as trellis, arbor, or fence. In nature, they grow up into trees. Training to the south side of a building is excellent for the small planting. Kiwi vines are heavy feeders and like their roots to be in warm soil. A mature kiwi vine can produce 200 pounds of fruit.
Kiwis require special training and pruning to produce good crops. When planted, the vines should be pruned back to 4 or 5 buds. From these a main stem should be selected and staked to grow to the top of the arbor or trellis, usually 6-7’ high. The trellis should be strong to support the heavy future fruit loads.
Kiwis are beautiful vines. Their vigorous spring growth is a spectacular sight. Excellent for a privacy screen, they will rapidly cover a fence and with support will cover a wall or steep slope. Kiwis grow in a manner similar to grapes but more rapidly. They are very high in Vitamin C. (Ten times as much as lemons.) They are excellent for eating fresh and are a tasty addition to salads and desserts. Ice cream, pies, jam and wine are other ways to use kiwis.

D8581 Issai Kiwi ( Actinidia )
Small 1" fruits with a very sweet taste. The vines will grow vigorously and bears loads of small fruit that is great for salads, desert or jelly. A vigorous, fast-growing, deciduous, woody vine that grows 25-30' but can fill a 200 sq. ft. trellis in time. Grown for its foliage and edible fruit. Foliage is a lustrous dark green throughout the growing season. Flowers appear in May-June and are slightly fragrant and greenish white, but are not particularly showy since they are largely hidden by the foliage. This cultivar does not require a separate male pollinator plant. Smooth-skinned kiwi fruits ripen in early fall and are the size of a large grape. It tastes similar to, though slightly sweeter than, its larger-fruited relative, the true kiwi, Actinidia deliciosa, which can not be grown north of Zone 8.

SO317 Hawaiian Woodrose ( Merremia tuberosa )
A very interesting vine with deep cut 5-7 lobed foliage that can easily be grown inside. The yellow flowers are followed by woody pod fruits that when opened, resemble a wooden rose.

D9807 Baby Woodrose ( Argyreia Nervosa ) Tropical, zone 10 or higher, but good tub plant for patio or greenhouse. A very popular tropical climber with wide heart shaped leaves and beautiful rose pink flowers. A native of eastern India and Bangladesh, this vigorous twiner will grow 30 ft (9 m) or more into the treetops, but can be trained over a post or stump and kept trimmed to a moundlike form. A dense white down covers both young stems and leaf undersides. The leaves are ovate-cordate, to 1 foot across, white tomentose beneath with lateral veins conspicuous on the undersides. Tight clusters of trumpet-shaped bright pink flowers about 2 in (5 cm) across on pedicels to 6 inches long appear among the foliage in spring and summer.
Poisonous Plant Parts - Not for Human Consumption

D8517 Kangaroo Vine ( Cissus )
A great inside plant, or hardy to zone 9 outside. This vigorous climber has green leaves and climbs with tendrils. It bears small flowers and edible fruits. It is most commonly used as an indoor foliage plant in colder areas and prefers well composted soil with ample moisture. Native grapes from the Kangaroo vine were eaten by the Aborigines and the early settlers in Australia, where it is native to. They have a grape-like taste but can irritate the throat if eaten in large numbers. The Kangaroo vine is a favorite for covering screens and other large areas. It grows about 10 ft. tall and covers its supports with leathery leaves.

D8524 Purple Passion Flower ( Passiflora incarnata. )
Said to be hardy to zone 6. Passionflower got the name from early Spanish explorers who found the vine growing throughout the Southeastern part of what is now the United States. The Spanish found numerical relations in the flower parts to Christ's crucifixion, hence the name. The fruit has a translucent pulp surrounding the seeds that is sweet and tasty when ripe A vigorous growing vine to 20 ft. or more.

D8537 Virginia Creeper Vine ( Parthenocissus quinquefolia )
Virginia creeper is a fast-growing, high-climbing vine that attaches itself with tendrils which expand, disk-like, on their tips. The deciduous leaves are palmately compound with (typically) five leaflets radiating outward from a central petiole (leaf stem) like spokes on a wheel. Each leaflet is about 3"-7" long and an inch or two wide. The leaves turn fiery red in fall and are very showy. The individual flowers are tiny and inconspicuous, and arranged in elaborate long-stemmed clusters, with each flower at the tip of its own peduncle (flower stem); such an inflorescence is called a cyme. The whole inflorescence is about 4"-6" across. The berries are blue-black, less than a half-inch across and much relished by birds.
Native to eastern North America, from Quebec to Florida, and west to Texas. Hardy throughout USDA Zones 3-9. Virginia creeper occurs in all kinds of woods and in clearings and on hedge rows. There are another 9 or 10 species of Parthenicissus in Japan and China.
Easy to grow, Virginia creeper can get out of hand if not managed. It will send up sprouts and seed itself, and established plantings may smother shrubs and trees. Virginia creeper will thrive in most soils, in sun or partial shade, with or without a structure to climb on. Grow in different shades of light (filtered) shade; part sun; full sun.
Virginia creeper is favored for its brilliant fall foliage and as a manitenance-free ground cover. When allowed to clamber over trees or other tall structures, it develops elongated leafy festoons that are especially showy. Where there is nothing to climb, it attaches to the ground with adventitious roots, and makes an excellent cover for slopes or other places where grass is not practical or desired. ( Our thanks to www.floridata.com for use of the photo )

D8539 Velvet Bean ( Mucuna pruriens )
Grow as an annual in cooler zones, biennial in zone 9b and higher. A fast growing tropical vine to 60 ft. with large leaves and purple flowers in huge clusters. Has 3" velvety pods filled with marbled beans.
The seed pods, about 4 inch long, are covered with very small velvety hairs that can be very painful on contact with the skin. The seeds resemble the eye of a bull; they are often collected and made into lovely necklaces and bracelets.
The seeds of nescafe in the pods are rich in amino acid L dopa, precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine. It is applied to patients suffering from Parkinson disease. L Dopa stimulates human growth hormone released by the pituitary gland. Mucuna pruriens increases testosterone levels.
Mucuna is indigenous to the Amazon rainforest and also used as an aphrodisiac by the natives.
The toasted ground seeds are used as a coffee substitute in Brazil; the young pods are cooked and eaten in India.
The seeds, pods and young leaves are edible, but require special treatment to render them non-toxic. A valuable soil improver, and cattle forage.

D8564 Passion Fruit ( Passiflora edulis )
Zone 7 and higher. This vine, native to the Amazon, produces beautiful flowers and sweet-tart fruit. It was named by the Spanish missionaries in South America who saw the Passion (suffering) of Christ represented in its flowers. Passion fruit is widely grown throughout the tropics and subtropics. The fruit is produced on a woody vine from bisexual flowers. The fruit is somewhat tart, has a hard purple or yellow rind, and contains many black seeds. Passion fruit is commonly used in beverages. Grow on fences or trellises, or allow it to scramble over shrubs and trees.

D8566 Cassabanana ( Sicana odorifera )
Needs hot weather to set fruit, best grown in higher zones. The vine is perennial, herbaceous, fast-growing, heavy, requiring a strong trellis; climbing trees to 50 ft (15 m) or more by means of 4-parted tendrils equipped with adhesive discs that can adhere tightly to the smoothest surface. Young stems are hairy. The leaves are gray-hairy, rounded-cordate or rounded kidney-shaped, to 1 ft wide, deeply indented at the base, 3-lobed, with wavy or toothed margins, on petioles 1 1/2 to 4 3/4 in (4-12 cm) long. Flowers are white or yellow, urn-shaped, 5-lobed, solitary, the male 3/4 in (2 cm) long, the female about 2 in (5 cm) long. Renowned for its strong, sweet, agreeable, melon-like odor, the striking fruit is ellipsoid or nearly cylindrical, sometimes slightly curved; 12 to 24 in (30-60 cm) in length, 2 3/4 to 4 1/2 in (7-11.25 cm) thick, hard-shelled, orange-red, maroon, dark-purple with tinges of violet, or entirely jet-black; smooth and glossy when ripe, with firm, orange-yellow or yellow, cantaloupe-like, tough, juicy flesh, 3/4 in (2 cm) thick. In the central cavity, there is softer pulp, a soft, fleshy core, and numerous flat, oval seeds, 5/8 in (16 mm) long and 1/4 in (6 mm) wide, light-brown bordered with a dark-brown stripe, in tightly-packed rows extending the entire length of the fruit.
The cassabanana is believed native to Brazil but it has been spread throughout tropical America. Historians have evidence that it was cultivated in Ecuador in pre-Hispanic times. It was first mentioned by European writers in 1658 as cultivated and popular in Peru. It is grown near sea-level in Central America but the fruit is carried to markets even up in the highlands. Venezuelans and Brazilians are partial to the vine as an ornamental, but in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Mexico it is grown for the usefulness of the fruit.

In 1903, O.F. Cook saw one fruit in a market in Washington, D.C. The United States Department of Agriculture received seeds from C.A. Miller, the American Consul in Tampico, Mexico, in 1913 (S.P.I. #35136). H.M. Curran collected seeds in Brazil in 1915 (S.P.I. #41665). Wilson Popenoe introduced seeds from Guatemala in 1916 (S.P.I. #43427). The author brought seeds from Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, to the Agricultural Research and Education Center, Homestead, in 1951. A resulting vine grew to large size but produced a single 2 ft (60 cm) fruit. Dr. John Thieret, formerly Professor of Botany at Southwestern Louisiana University, says that the Cajuns in the southern part of that state grow the cassabanana for making preserves. Verrill stated in 1937, "The fruit is now on sale in New York markets."
Fenzi says that the cassabanana is grown from seeds or cuttings. A high temperature during the fruiting season is needed to assure perfect ripening. Brazilians train the vine to grow over arbors or they may plant it close to a tree. However, if it is allowed to climb too high up the tree there is the risk that it may smother and kill it. The cassabanana remains in good condition for several months if kept dry and out of the sun.
The fruit has high market value in Puerto Rico. It is cut up and sold by the piece, the price being determined by weight.
The ripe flesh, sliced thin, is eaten raw, especially in the summer when it is appreciated as cooling and refreshing. However, it is mainly used in the kitchen for making jam or other preserves. The immature fruit is cooked as a vegetable or in soup and stews.
People like to keep the fruit around the house, and especially in linen- and clothes-closets, because of its long-lasting fragrance, and they believe that it repels moths. It is also placed on church altars during Holy Week.
Medicinal Uses: In Puerto Rico, the flesh is cut up and steeped in water, with added sugar, overnight at room temperature so that it will ferment slightly. The resultant liquor is sipped frequently and strips of the flesh are eaten, too, to relieve sore throat. It is believed beneficial also to, at the same time, wear a necklace of the seeds around the neck.
The seed infusion is taken in Brazil as a febrifuge, vermifuge, purgative and emmenagogue. The leaves are employed in treating uterine hemorrhages and venereal diseases. In Yucatan, a decoction of leaves and flowers (2 g in 180cc water) is prescribed as a laxative, emmenagogue and vermifuge, with a warning not to make a stronger preparation inasmuch as the seeds and flowers yield a certain amount of hydrocyanic acid.

D8568 Coral Vine ( Antigonon Leptopus )
Also called Mountain Rose. Ideal for dry climates. This slender vine with pointed, heart-shaped leaves grows from 30' to 40'. Masses of small white or rose-pink flowers bloom in late summer and autumn. A rapidly growing climber that holds on by tendrils, it will quickly cover adjacent plants and structures
Will grow up to 30 ft. in one summer. Maintenance free, winter hardy vine. Zones 9-10. The tops of this tropical plant are killed back by freezes but will quickly recover from the roots.
Use as a landscape plant. It's perfect for covering fences or climbing trellises with a splash of bright color. This vine does well in urban plantings, because it tolerates air pollution, restricted space, inadequate sunshine and poor soil. A rampant grower, it may need periodic grooming when planted in small spaces.

D8570 American Bittersweet ( Celastrus Scandens )
A decorative vine with light green leaves and massive amounts of scarlet berries. A very good landscape vine. It requires little care, grows quickly and has beautiful colored foliage in fall. Trim branches in fall before frost for indoor decoration. A good highlight plant for troubleareas. Hardy for zones 3-8. Flowers small, green, and clustered. Fruits orange clustered pods that open to reveal scarlet seed coverings. Climbs to 60'.
Bittersweet fruits are eaten by songbirds, ruffed grouse, pheasant, and fox squirrel. In the dark and superstitious past, shepherds hung bittersweet around the necks of those sheep which were suspected to be under the evil eye.

D8587 Banana Passion Fruit ( Passiflora Mollissima )
For warmer zones, can be greenhouse grown, or in tubs on patio. A beautiful vine with large 3-lobed leaves followed by edible yellow fruits 4" in length. Cannot ship to HI.

D9885 Boston Ivy ( Parthenocissus tricuspidata )
The famous ivy of the North that grows just about anywhere. Attractive glossy green foliage on a climbing perennial vine that will cover just about anything.