By Lilypad
gwent, United Kingdom
In Spain last week I saw this cimber flowering. It was so beautiful . It is BIGNONIA VENUSTA Has anyone managed to grow it here please?
- 24 Jan, 2011
Answers
I grow a similar coloured climber called Campsis 'Indian summer' that is hardy here.
24 Jan, 2011
Not hardy here, needs minimum temps of 25 deg F. As the others say, try Campsis instead, about the closest you'll get I'd say. Unless you grow Eccremocarpus scaber, an annual, though it sometimes survives milder winters.
24 Jan, 2011
Cotswold Garden Flowers list one (different colour though) as hardy.......
http://www.cgf.net/mail.php?letter=B
24 Jan, 2011
I Have known of two very large Bignonia growing locally, one fell foul of new building, the other was in a part of the old Claremont Estate where Queen Victoria lived as a child, I've not been there for about 8 years.
24 Jan, 2011
Further info under Pyrostegia venusta, but still only hardy to -1ยบ C.
25 Jan, 2011
It's a greenhouse climber here, so won't tolerate frost or prolonged low temperatures. Unfortunately it also doesn't like restricted roots so pot culture isn't much use. It will take three or four years to flower, and can grow up to 50 ft.
Why not try to grow a really good variety of campsis instead? That would probably survive and flower ok outside.
24 Jan, 2011