Vigna caracalla - Phaseolus caracalla They appear to be the same thing. They are also called snail shell vines! Perhaps that's the confusion. Someone abbreviated the common name.

X

is it also corkscrew vine?

Cincinnata-
I have some of the non-fragrant purple snail vine seeds I can trade.

Please click on my membername and email me. I don't always get back to a thread to see if there is a post...
-T

cincinnata, thanks for the clarifcation! i would pick fragrance.

I must admit that I am rather disappointed in my snail vine.It has grown like crazy,but the flowers are tiny.I was expecting something rather spectacular but it guess it is not to be.I have the non fragrant one,so I don't even have that as consolation.boo hoo

Thanks everyone for your replies. I was disappointed in the show also, although the changing colors is pretty. Mine is non-fragrant also so it must be the Phaseolus Caracalla aka Snail Vine for sure.

I have the fragrant version and just like yours, plenty of leafy growth but not a single flower to date. Sorta disappointed as I have heard others rave about the plant....I do wonder if it will survive the winter as I hear some can/will??

I have the fragrant corkscrew vine, and mine is over 20' long with about three clusters of nice-sized blooms.

Phaseolus caracalla and vigna caracalla are the same species. See eg http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?27562

Different cultivars of a species can differ considerably in fragrance and appearance.

Here is a link that might be useful: Taxon: Phaseolus caracalla

Horticulturists concur with Tim. The names are used interchangeably, but the plants perform very differently.

The fragrant one (which looks much frillier, and has different colors on each blossom) seems to have a short bloom season and be a bit fussy.

The lavender one grows here with great vigor (though it did not appreciate a week of 22*). The bloom is solid lavender, not as long and twirly, and I can't detect any fragrance at all.

The seeds are also different (explain THAT, taxonomists!)
Fragrant Corkscrew Vine has flat black seeds 1/4" across.
Lavender Snail Vine has tiny speckled brown bean-type seeds in 6" very skinny pods.

I just bought Corkscrew Vine plants on ebay and will keep them indoors over the winter. Maybe I'll discover something by spring. The foliage may look the same, but too much else is different.

The search goes on....

I planted a snail vine last year. It didnt do much last year but this year it has gone crazy. Its pretty much taken over the backyard. I would like to know what time of year Im supposed to cut it back. Is it too hot to trim it now?

if anyone would like to trade or sell let me know ive looked for corkscrew & snail vines and i cant find them i would love to have some thanks

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Web

The 1st pic is a Snail Vine (Phaseolus Caracalla). The 2nd is a Corkscrew Vine (Vigna Caracalla). The flowers are quite different but the foliage looks the same to me.

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I would love some fragrant corkscrew vine seeds; please email me if you want to share thanks