The MGS Forum
Plant identification => Plant identification => Topic started by: Alice on October 16, 2012, 05:15:10 PM
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I saw this plant today covering a wall dividing a garden from a supermarket car park.
It was impressive and covered in flowers.
Does anybody know what it is?
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It is Antigonon leptopus.
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Thank you, Miriam. I don't think I have ever encountered one before. I see that it is a native of Mexico (also known as Mexican Creeper or Coral Vine).
Does anyone have experience growing it?
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Can there ever be too much patience? I was beginning to think so and, if my Antigonon leptopus doesn't get a move on, it may suffer the consequences. I grew this from seed many years ago (2015?) - seed originally from Singapore - and every year after being cut to the ground by frost it starts to make its long journey to the top of some trellis. This year, and the only year so far, it has decided to produce flowers. 3 to be precise. I suppose it is a start but does anybody know if it usually takes so long to get to flowering maturity?
Although my patience is beginning to run out, I can rarely bear to part with a plant which is still showing any signs of life. Perhaps I need t toughen up a bit too??
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David
You had me searching the maze, which is my computer files, looking for a reference to this plant, Antignon leptopus
I found the photo easily enough
Eventually I found the following post which I had sent in 2010 to my family and friends
“7TH November 2010
This photo is from Rabat in Malta, where we were in July 2007.
I was thrilled to see this plant as we had seen it previously on Kitchener's Island, Aswan.
Its name in Egypt is LIBLAB, or something like that
In English it is Coral Vine.
Never seen it in Greece.
Hilary”
I hope your plant produces more flowers next summer
The photo does not want to go. I will see if it will go alone
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Hi Hilary,
Thanks for doing some research for me. As for Liblab, there is a plant which I have grown as an annual called Lablab purpureous or Dolichos lablab. It is also a pink flowered vine and produces beautiful, glossy-purple seed pods.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=dEttFZ38&id=04DA3C1FEF7650CD8BCDA414C8248AF044DD9439&thid=OIP.dEttFZ38w-7OPeK1x5cNwAHaIY&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.etsystatic.com%2Fil%2Fab868a%2F926997917%2Fil_fullxfull.926997917_63e8.jpg%3Fversion%3D0&exph=725&expw=640&q=lablab+purpureus&simid=608055386572203623&form=IRPRST&ck=78F22B92AC0F458F72F9BBEF033884D0&selectedindex=42&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0&vt=0&sim=11&cdnurl=https%3A%2F%2Fth.bing.com%2Fth%2Fid%2FR.744b6d159dfcc3eece3de2b5c7970dc0%3Frik%3DOZTdRPCKJMgUpA%26pid%3DImgRaw%26r%3D0
I used to grow this as an annual but gave up because the larvae of the butterfly Cacyreus marshalli ate the beans. Below a posting of mine from 2012.
Having lost nearly all of my pelargoniums to Cacyreus marshalli a few years back I decided not to bother replacing them. Now the grubs are feasting on the seeds of Dolichos lablab by eating through the pod! Looks like I'll have to give up on this plant too :(
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David, please do not uproot yourAntigonon leptopus. Since it flowered once it will flower again. Mine has not flowered yet as far as I remember. I got the seeds from the village where our daughter lives. I can date it by our granddaughter's age, I used to pushes her in her buggy around the village and chat to the ladies who knew her. We used to get invited to see their gardens, get cuttings have drinks etc. She is now 10 so my plant is at least 7/8 years old. It dies down every winter and restarts in the Spring. One morning I might be lucky! I am unable to post the photo as it tells me an error occurred despite checking it twice.
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I was half hoping that somebody would write and say "There is more to life than Antigonon leptopus, just cut the ties and let go" I suppose, like the convicts on death row who receive copies of letters from Amnesty International, Signore leptopus owes his precarious life to the MGS emailing writing group pleading for clemency.
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I have had the " error occurred" message twice trying to send photos
The photos were well within the 250 limit and the message came up immediately
Is there anyone out there who can look into this?
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I am trying to post a photo of my stubborn Antigonon leptopus . It is climbing up on a non producing olive tree.
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Since I last posted re my A leptopus it has produced about 10 more little flowers. I wonder what will happen next year? The early mornings are getting too cold for it now, so I don't expect much more activity from it. I will try to get some cuttings going in my little plastic greenhouse but I fear I am too late.
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See David. You saved your Antigonon leptopus and it rewarded you. Ours is still green but still no flowers. Our friend who lives in Nicosia and it is much hotter than Limassol, had lots of flowers. If you wish I could get you some fresh seeds form my granddaughter's friend. I might try putting down new seeds and see if I get better results. Our mornings are also getting cooler which keep the flowers of the Ipomoea alba open longer.