It needs a long growing period, start them early, and LOT'S of sun. Good luck! arum

Dena is right - loooooooong time from seed to bloom! The vine gets massive before it finally sets blooms, but it's an impressive vine. I really enjoyed growing it from seed this year. I started the seeds in FEB. and got first blooms in October!!!

Thanks so much! Those are exactly the kinds of things I needed to know.
Jim

I've never started it from seed but cuttings root very easily in water. If it hasn't bloomed by the time you are getting a chill and you don't want to take the whole huge plant in just take cuttings and root them inside.

Thanks, Karyn.
Jim

It is a really easy and relatively fast growing tender perennial here in the SF Bay Area, usually only taking 2 months to bloom, starting in mid summer and continuing into late fall if the weather stays mild. It seems to like warm shade the best, to full sun with more water. It easily reseeds itself around the garden for me. Around March or April, they are fairly easy to find as 4 inch plants locally or mail order. I think this is really a cloud forest plant that actually likes our cooler nights in summer, and maybe has delayed flowering back east and in Texas because of high summer heat, the cooler weather in fall triggers it into bloom. With our 55 to 60F average summer nights, they can bloom all summer as well.

I really like Mina lobata for a slightly shady gardens, because those hot reds and yellows brighten it up. It also looks great with the similar flower colored Brazilian Shrimp Plant, Justicia brandegiana, both great plants for foggy coastal gardens here.