My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing

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David Feix

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Re: My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing
« Reply #15 on: August 19, 2014, 08:13:49 AM »
Good advice to monitor the plant's condition, especially under windy conditions. A larger container vine probably wouldn't need daily watering, but if foliage looks wilted, it may. One solution to fertilizing schedules is to incorporate a time release granular fertilizer in the planting soil at the time of planting, which will feed over a 2 to 4 month period, depending on your temperatures. My Petrea went through a growth spurt back in July, but seems to also have slowed down this month. In my much cooler summer conditions here in Berkeley, California, it does continue active growth up until late October or so. You may need to be patient about getting coverage on your arbor, it could take a few years.
David Feix Landscape Design
Berkeley, California, USA

David Feix

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Re: My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing
« Reply #16 on: August 19, 2014, 08:15:10 AM »
Good advice to monitor the plant's condition, especially under windy conditions. A larger container vine probably wouldn't need daily watering, but if foliage looks wilted, it may. One solution to fertilizing schedules is to incorporate a time release granular fertilizer in the planting soil at the time of planting, which will feed over a 2 to 4 month period, depending on your temperatures. My Petrea went through a growth spurt back in July, but seems to also have slowed down this month. In my much cooler summer conditions here in Berkeley, California, it does continue active growth up until late October or so. You may need to be patient about getting coverage on your arbor, it could take a few years.
David Feix Landscape Design
Berkeley, California, USA

Lanzalady

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Re: My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing
« Reply #17 on: October 17, 2014, 06:21:24 PM »
Well, back in August I posted regarding my Pretrea Volubilis not growing.  I took the advise given on this forum and I'm pleased to say that a about a month ago I had a fabulous show of new leaves and flowers.  I was absolutely delighted.

I'm just trying to work out how to put photos on the post so I can show you what I got.  Nothing major like some of the photos I've seen on here, but considering I thought nothing was going to happen, I'm incredibly pleased that she flowered so quickly.

Thanks for all your help and I'll work on those photos.

« Last Edit: October 17, 2014, 06:39:22 PM by Lanzalady »

Lanzalady

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Re: My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing
« Reply #18 on: October 17, 2014, 06:36:26 PM »
I hope you can see those pictures ok.

Like I said, it's nothing magnificent, but I was under the impression it could take a couple or so years to flower but it flowered within 3 months.

Thanks all for your help.

 :D
« Last Edit: October 17, 2014, 06:40:28 PM by Lanzalady »

Umbrian

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Re: My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing
« Reply #19 on: October 18, 2014, 07:46:26 AM »
Congratulations Lanzalady both for your success with Petrea volubilis and posting the 'photos in evidence. I wonder which gave you the most satisfaction :)
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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John J

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Re: My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing
« Reply #20 on: July 08, 2019, 07:04:09 AM »
I realise that nothing has been posted on this thread since 2014. Ever since seeing Petrea volubilis on Mallorca we have kept an eye out for it and in Oct 2017 we stumbled on one in a nursery here in Cyprus. The owner had gathered all sorts of unusual plants from around the world and was experimenting with them. (We paid a return visit recently to find that sadly he had passed away a few weeks before). We had bought a small Petrea from him and, despite constant care and attention, it appeared to have gone into suspended animation with no sign of new growth. Suddenly this month it put out what appeared to be the first signs of a flower spike. The photo below was taken this morning. Not spectacular I'll admit but maybe a sign of things to come!
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

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Alisdair

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Re: My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing
« Reply #21 on: July 08, 2019, 09:09:04 AM »
I suspect that the difficulty with Petrea for mediterranean gardeners may be that while it likes distinct wet and dry seasons, where it does best its wet periods are relatively hot (one book I have measured its shoots twining a full metre within ten days, in Hong Kong's steamy summer). Incidentally, John, while everyone seems to agree that it likes a rich well mulched but well drained soil, another book said that it prefers acidic conditions.
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

Umbrian

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Re: My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing
« Reply #22 on: July 09, 2019, 06:35:00 AM »
I love it when long dormant topics are revived and wonder how the Petrea of the original post, that of Lanzalady, is doing....
perhaps we can look forward to an update?
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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JTh

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Re: My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing
« Reply #23 on: July 13, 2019, 03:06:46 PM »
I remember seeing the same Petrea volubilis in the botanical garden on Mallorca, John. I wish I had been able to grow this  one in northern Greece, but although summers can be quite hot here as well, they can hardly be described as steamy;  sometimes you have to be realistic about what you can do.  I am just a little bit envious.
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

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John J

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Re: My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing
« Reply #24 on: July 13, 2019, 06:21:04 PM »
Good to hear from you, Jorun. We thought about you when we heard of the freak storm that hit in Greece causing several fatalities. Was it anywhere in your area?
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

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JTh

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Re: My Petrea Volubilis has stopped growing
« Reply #25 on: July 13, 2019, 08:01:32 PM »
The worst part of the storm was not far from us, but fortunately, for us, we were on the other side of Halkidiki and more sheltered. It arrived suddenly and with a strenght I have never seen before, but nothing was damaged here.  The rain was welcome, though, it has been very hot and dry for a long period.
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.