Germination: 7 - 21 days Maturity: 90-120 Days
Planting Instructions:
Coral vine readily reseeds itself with teardrop shaped seeds wrapped in a tissue paper like coating. Here in the low desert of Arizona I can direct sow these seeds about 1/4 inch in the ground or pot. They can also be started indoors approximately 6 weeks before the last frost to be potted up then planted outdoors.
Care:
In zones 8-11 Coral vine is known as a perennial. It creates tubers underground and, when cut back to the ground in January, will come back full force. It can be grown in northern climates, but would have to be started indoors and reseeded yearly. However, this plant is worthwhile as it's extremely showy with bright pink or white flowers and a vigorous growth of between 20 and 35 feet per year. It blooms August through October and will die back at the first frost. It's an aggressive climber so needs a place to hold on and grow, sturdy trellises or fences are a great option. This vine attracts so many bees that my entire garden sounds like it's humming, they absolutely go for this enforce. The heart shaped green leaves are beautiful in their own right as well. I've been growing these vines for the past 9 years, and if you want to really get a head start in getting them to grow before planting them in your garden, I place them on a wet paper towel, in a plastic bag, and put them in a dark place for a week. If, after checking on them, they're sprouting what looks like a root they're ready to transplant - but here's the tricky part, what looks like a root is actually the stem, so it should be placed in so the seed part is barely underground and the stem is upwards out of the soil. I've also found that letting the seeds dry on the vine until the paper-like outer coating is tan/brown and the seed within is brown as well.
History:
This plant is recognized by many names including, Queen Wreath, Coral Vine, Mexican Creeper, Chain of Love, and many others. Coral vine, scientifically known as "Antigonon leptopus", is native to Mexico and Central America, and was introduced as an ornamental plant in many tropical regions around the world, where it has since become invasive in several locations due to its rapid growth and ability to spread easily; its use as a landscaping plant pre-dates 1924 in the southeastern and Gulf regions of the United States. Please check your area's invasive species list before planting it in your yard.
All photos and video taken in Susan's garden.
