JungleSeeds

Tropical Climbers J to Z

Tropical Vines

Nothing is quite like a stunning tropical climber or tropical vine amongst summer bedding or growing up a warm house wall. They always bring happy memories of holidays in the Caribbean and their sheer exuberance and rampant growth can be surprising even in our luke warm summers. Not many are really hardy, although Passiflora Caerulea is root hardy and the vine stems can stand up to -10˚C given a protected wall. Similarly Campsis Radicans can just about tolerate -10˚C given similar protection. Another alternative is to grow fast growing perennial tropical climbers as annuals, and if sown early can become quite a show piece. If you are lucky enough to have a heated conservatory or greenhouse the range of tropical climbers you can try growing is simply stunning.

Lapageria rosea

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Chilean Glory Vine (5 seeds Per Pkt) ■☻

A difficult, but spectacular, cool conservatory climber with lovely bell shaped waxy pink flowers. It needs to be protected from high temperatures and hard sun, but not allowed to go below freezing. It likes well drained rich slightly acid soil and must not be kept too wet at any time. The roots also dislike disturbance.

Macfadyena unguis-cati

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Cat Claw Ivy 10 seeds ■☻җ

A strong growing evergreen climbing vine from Central America that loses some leaves in cold weather and hardy to -5°C maybe -10°C. Large solitary, bright yellow, funnel-shaped flowers contrasting with the glossy green leaves in early summer makes an impressive show. Bignoniaceae family. This is an excellent alternative to growing Allamanda for cooler climates but beware it is extremely invasive in warmer climates to 30 metres, self clinging to any building, wall etc.

Mandevilla sauveolens

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Chilean Jasmine 10 seeds ■☻җ

A beautiful scented climber with dark green leaves and white trumpet shaped flowers like a larger version of jasmine. My father has been growing a beautiful specimen on an outside wall in London for about 20 years, which he prunes back each year after flowering.

Mansoa hymenaea

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Garlic Vine 5 seeds ■☻

The garlic vine is a large woody, flowering climber that is often featured in tropical garden books. A member of the Bignoniaceae family, known via a range of synonymous botanical names but best referred to as Mansoa hymenaea. This pretty flowering vine with bright pink flowers is a native to tropical South America, from Mexico to Brazil that climbs by tendrils.

Mina lobata

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Firecracker Vine 10 seeds ■☻

A member of the Ipomoea family with sprays of red/yellow flowers. I find this an excellent plant grown through other shrubs that look tired with no flowers at the end of the summer. Give it plenty of sun and water and it will produce a spectacular display

Mucuna Pruriens

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Velvet Bean 10 seeds ■☻

A fast growing tropical vine to 60 ft. with large leaves and purple flowers in huge clusters. Has 3 inch velvety pods filled with marbled beans. The seeds, pods and young leaves are edible, but require special treatment to render them non-toxic. A valuable soil improver, and cattle forage. The plant is also used for its rare medicinal properties and forms the basis of over 200 formulations.

Pandorea jasminoides

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Pandorea 15 seeds ■☻

An interesting conservatory climber which has a very similar habit and leaves to jasmine, the difference is the large 2" to 3" flowers of pale pink. My stock plants exhibit strong growth and continues to grow in cool conditions.

Pandorea Pandorana

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Wonga Wonga Vine 10 seeds ■☻җ

What a great name for this evergreen climber from Australia with handsome fern like foliage. Can be grown outside in mild areas or makes a spectacular conservatory climber. The tubular bell shaped flowers are creamy white with purple spotted markings and are borne in large clusters from late winter to early spring. Young growth is rich bronze in colour and matures into large glossy deep green leaves. Plant in a good rich free draining soil in full sun. Hardy to about minus 5°C once established.

Passiflora actinia

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Actinia 10 seeds ■☻

Quite a cool tolerant passion flower surviving short mild frosts it has edible 4" - 5" yellow fruits. Passiflora actinia resembles a combination of Passiflora caerula and Passiflora edulis. The coloration is of light purple, dark purple and white.

Passiflora caerulea

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Hardy Passion Flower 15 seeds ■☻җ җ

Passiflora caerulea is quite a popular plant easily grown from seed if you want to give it a try. I think the flowers are beautiful and it makes a rampant climber covered most of the summer in cold blue flowers that contrast well with the dark green leaves. These are followed by yellow fruits that are not edible but nevertheless look attractive as autumn approaches. Prefers a warm wall if possible.

Passiflora edulis

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Edible Passion Fruit 10 seeds ■☻

This is the best and hardiest variety if you want your own Passion fruits to eat; the flowers although attractive are not spectacular. The vine is vigorous with deeply lobed large leaves and very suitable for conservatory growth. I am giving my own plants a trial this year inside and out, just to see how they fair through a reasonable summer and from a mid spring sowing.

Passiflora incarnata

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Maypops 10 seeds ■☻җ җ

Passiflora incarnata, or Maypop, is a deciduous vine and the cold hardiest of the Passion flower family reaching 13 feet in length with deeply lobed leaves and large purple fringed flowers. They are hardy in the USA to zones 6-9 but best in the UK grown in a cool greenhouse to prevent winter root rot. Move the plants to a cool frost free glass house for the winter gradually withholding water until all foliage dies off, when the plant should be trimmed back. When new growth starts in the spring, repot and resume watering.

Passiflora ligularis

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Sweet Granadilla 10 seeds ■☻

Ranking close to Passiflora edulis in popular appeal and potential, the sweet granadilla is a vigorous, strong grower vine. The pale purple blue flowers have a sweet and musky odour, followed by (if you're lucky!) long, green, purple blushed fruits. Has to be worth a try?

Passiflora mollisima

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The Banana Passion 10 seeds ■☻

This pretty coral pink passion flower from mountain regions is of the vine leaf type, with strong growth if given a warm sunny wall. It grows well in our UK summers disliking high temperatures unlike most of its cousins. The name derives from its long yellow fruits like a squat banana which also taste delicious, don’t get too excited though, you are unlikely to get it to fruit in the UK. The plant will make 20’ to 30’ given ample root room and water but it needs a good flower feed with reduced nitrogen content, or it will just make leafy growth.

Passiflora quadrangularis

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Purple Granadilla 10 seeds ■☻

My all time favourite passion flower with large leaves and huge purple flowers with a very heavy scent that just has to be appreciated with your own nose. I have never managed to get any of my plants to set fruit (the giant granadilla which is said to be delicious) but who cares, the flowers are magnificent. Really only suitable for the conservatory but beware, when looked after it will become very rampant!

Passiflora Species Mixed

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Mixed Passion Flowers 10 seeds ■☻

Our special mix of Passion Flowers with a wide range of forms and colour. If you love Passion Flowers like me, then here is your chance to grow something really different.

Passiflora vitifolia

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Scarlet Passion Flower 10 seeds ■☻

Fantastic brilliant red flowers on a climber with vine shaped leaves. It will need heat and plenty of room to flower but easy from seed flowering in the second or third season.

Podranea ricasoliana

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Port St. John's Creeper 10 seeds ■☻

Both the Pandorea and Podranea are woody climbers related to the Bignonia family. The Pandorea from Australasia and the Podranea from South Africa. We are really pleased to have tracked down a seed source for the Podranea, that according to the books may well take frost to -5ºC with only marginal damage and hardier than the Pandorea with tip bearing flowers in racemes. Feed both varieties with low nitrogen food like tomato fertiliser to encourage flowers, rather than rampant foliage.

Rhodochiton atrosanguineum

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Purple Bells 10 seeds ■☻

An exciting tender perennial climber for baskets or a shady trellis. To 10' producing masses of bell-shaped maroon-purple pendent flowers. The 2" heart-shaped leaves edged in purple add to the attraction of this lovely vine. It blooms best in bright shade throughout the summer. Treat as an annual or protect from frost in winter to keep for another year.

Solandra maxima

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Chalice Vine 5 seeds ■☻

A fast growing very large tropical climber, only suitable for large conservatories, that bears massive yellow flowers the size of dinner plates. An excellent specimen can be seen at Wisley in their tropical House. The large yellow cup shaped flower gives the plant its common name. Seed is very rare to find hence I can only spare 5 seeds per order.

Sollya heterophylla

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Blue Bell Creeper 20 Seeds ■☻җ җ

A lovely delicate twining climber, hardy and adaptable, tolerating light frosts, partial shade or full sun and can stand seasonal dry periods once established. While preferring lighter soils, the plants will establish in heavier soils provided drainage is good. Excellent as a conservatory or pot plant and it can be trained as a small shrub producing the delicate bright blue flowers most of the summer.

Stephanotis floribunda

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Madagascar Jasmine 5 seeds ■☻

Probably my favourite tropical climber with pristine waxy white flowers that smell absolutely gorgeous. It is a simple leathery tough leaved vine that likes heat and not drying out at the roots. Not so easy from seed as cuttings but well worth trying out. A large plant grown over a climbing framework in a heated conservatory will permeate your house with an exquisite heavy perfume in the evenings.

Tecoma stans

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Trumpet Bush 10 seeds ■☻

A member of the Bignonia family which is more of a scrambling shrub than a climber but with typical Bignonia terminal racemes of flowers. Stans has bright yellow 2” funnel shaped flowers in panicles to 6” long. From Argentina and Guatemala it will need a minimum of 10°C in winter. If you can grow this one it should be a real eye catcher. I have wanted to grow it for years but could not find a seed source and we are excited to be able to now offer seed of this rare plant.

Thunbergia Alata African Sunset

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Black Eyed Susan 10 seeds ■☻

An exciting new F1 vigorous selection of this popular trailing annual for baskets or bedding. Colours range from deep brick red to cream with pink, orange and yellow shades in between some with picotee edges or striped.

Thunbergia Alata Mixed

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Mixed Black Eyed Susan 20 seeds ■☻

An excellent mix of this popular annual vine in shades of orange, yellow and creamy white all with dark eyes.

Thunbergia fragrans

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Sweet Clock Vine 10 seeds ■☻

A wide spread tropical climber with fragrant white flowers and easy from seed. Similar in habit to T. alata.

Tropaeolum peregrinum

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Canary Creeper 15 seeds ■☻җ

A popular robust climber from South America that can grow to 12ft during the summer season and is attractive to butterflies. Prefers full sun or partial shade and ideal for growing up tall fences or walls with attractive bright yellow flowers. Grown as an annual in the UK and planted out after all frosts have finished. Recently shown on the Gardeners World program.

Tweedia caerulea

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Southern Star 10 seeds ■☻җ

From Central and South America, a twining semi-shrub, possibly 5’ or more tall if given support, less if free-standing. Both the stems and the narrowly heart shaped leaves are softly hairy and greyish green in colour. In summer it bears loose clusters of 1” star shaped, sky blue blossoms along the stems. A good plant for containers but best grown as an annual in the UK. Hardy to around -5°C.

Vigna caracalla

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Snail Vine 10 seeds Per Pkt ■☻

We have at last sourced seed of this rare vigorous South American climber. With attractive blue sweet pea type flowers on a controllable vine, excellent for conservatory or patio. The name of snail vine comes from the curious flower buds that resemble a slug or snail before opening. An easy and rampant vine.

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Symbol Codes

Germination -- Easy ■ Moderate ■ and Challenging ■

Backlog for Fresh Seed ♦ Flavour ♪

Hardiness - To -5°C җ To -10°C җҗ Fully Hardy җҗҗ

Needs Shady Position ☻ Sunny Position ☻ Water Loving ♥