I have grown it in the past. It gets very big here, covering an arbor. It seems to need to rest, in hottest part of the summer which is the wettest as well. When it cools a bite and drys some in my winters it springs back. It is bothered by white fly and some other pests.

You seem to understand that this is a tropical plant. It won't survive winters outdoors in Wisconsin.

I planted this here in Central Florida about six or seven years ago and have been trying to get rid of it ever since. It is invasive here. The one saving grace is that butterflies really like it. I guess you could say that the orange color of the blooms could be considered attractive also.

If I were you and I had to plant a vine to go up a terrace I would plant a coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens). It should be a perennial for you. There are other honeysuckles that are of different colors. Pretty much all of them are hardy, attract hummingbirds and butterflies and are not invasive.

Thanks, tom123, and yes, if I didn't make that clear in my OP, there would be no attempt made to "save" or otherwise hold these plants over winter. Just as begonias, impatiens, marigolds, uh....you get my point....are all non-hardy non-perennials up here and yet are planted by the millions, I am simply expanding the range of species to be used in this manner. And again, I took pains to be clear about my intended use-as a component of large planters, spilling over the sides. I have no illusions about using it in the normal Florida way that you guys do, covering a chain link fence, etc. What would be the point?

So, now that I've pretty much repeated my initial post, any other comments? I've searched and searched here and elsewhere for info about other folks doing what I'm doing with this plant, but that has not yielded much response. And FWIW, this is but one of many such "experiments" I have and will be making within the context of that part of my job. One recent year, for example, I used variegated tapioca-Manioc esculenta-in some of my planters, to very good effect. That is, of course, a tropical species too, and that one too was not "saved" in any way, save for ending up as part of a compost heap.

Now if I could just get somebody-one person-to comment on my Russellia equisetiformis idea!

+oM

Okay, then you might be able to use this plant. The Mexican Flame vine grows very rapidly and, if you have one that is already started, it should grow well for you and probably bloom in the late summer months.

What was your Russellia equisetiformis idea? I have grown this plant also.

Thanks again, tom. I was down in fort Myers back in Dec. and while there-I like to do a LOT of exploring on my own-I saw several examples of this plant, in full bloom, and looking magnificent. So I gets to thinking, why could whatever grower we select-we send out bid specs in late fall of preceding year-procure starter plants of this species (Russelia e.) with sufficient time for them to bulk up in the greenhouse, and then offer them to us along with all the other stuff, once spring is underway here. Of course, they would be very frost-tender, but then, so too are most all the other things we plant at that time.

My thinking goes, if this plant would develop rapidly enough to put on a good show during our summers, which BTW do typically offer at least some heat, they would make magnificent centerpieces (or maybe side spillers) in these large planters I've always got to work with. Now mind you, we've had fantastic success with more of the usual genera over the years, and the expectations of the work I do are high. I'd be leery of going too far out on a limb and ending up with disappointment. Things like modern-day Petunias and Sunpatiens, etc. are darn-near fool proof, although we do have a rather thorough-going maintenance regime in place.

Just looking for something different, and these two plants were both inspirational to me at some point-both times when I happened to be in Florida. I take great pride in what I offer the community and have, over the years, developed a reputation for the unexpected. That's the vein I'm mining once again!

+oM

Tom, the Russelia equisetiformis is an excellent hummingbird plant. For me it is a below average butterfly plant, however.

It blooms pretty much continuously once it starts, although it does go through "blushes" where it really opens up the blossoms.

The one thing about this plant is that much of it hangs down. I have one in a large pot that is perhaps two feet off the ground and many branches still hang to the ground. It still looks good, but weeds or grass tend to grow into the branches where they hit the ground. If you can put it in a large hanging pot where it would receive a lot of sun and water it might be spectacular.

Righto tom. Precisely what I envision. There are some serious obstacles in all of this though. Let me relate: The first year I tried variegated tapioca-Manioc esculenta variegata-in my beds and containers, everything went great. In seeking to repeat this success, I placed them on my order the subsequent year. Now, I mention this because, like Mexican flame vine, Russelia, etc....these are all generally available only from southern sources-your Florida especially, and some vendors along the immediate Gulf coast.

So back to the story: The second year of trying to get that tapioca thing, the greenhouse that had our order-a very well-run operation, I might add-had some trouble in getting these things to grow. They didn't outright die in transit, but something happened to them and they never came out of it. I had to decline those and make a last-minute substitution. My concern is in whatever grower gets our order being able to procure these tropical/subtropical items up here at a time of year when, other than your area and maybe far SE Texas, things are cold! I know-nothing you can say to make a difference here. Just trying to give you the full picture of what it is I'm doing.

I've been an adventurous horticulturist for decades now and I don't see that changing! Hopefully, some of these ideas can be brought to fruition. Thanks for the comments-I'm inspired!

+oM

Wisconsintom, Have you used Epidendrum radicans in your displays? I live in St. Petersburg; for past 14 years I’ve seen them only sparsely in yards and for sale. However, last year (spring/summer) Kathy's Korner Nursery (on Haines Road North, St. Petersburg) had several huge barrels of them lining Haines Road. Masses of the orange/red/yellow flowers. Wondering if you have seen such offerings south of SP. Epis barely spill over, of course, but with a cascading ivy, for instance, might be striking in your planters.

Ah, but epis are not butterfly attractors.

But, I had to ask, since the epi is a favorite of mine, blooming in a morning-sun planter Feb through Oct. This year the blooms in my planter will be much fewer (5?) than the usual 28 blooming stems. I assume due to the warmer weather this “winter”.

Irma
St Pete

Thanks Irma. I see I may be causing some confusion here! I'm in Wisconsin-live and work here-but do try to get down to FL at least once a year. What I'm doing is trying to bring the unexpected, and the tropicalesque, into my work as a municipal horticulturist up here.

Nevertheless, I appreciate your input! I will research Epidendrum radicans. It too could be useful for me during our relatively brief warm months.

+oM

Oh and BTW, I know this line of questioning is more ideally suited to the "Tropicalesque" forum. And so I have indeed posted some questions there. But that place is very, very quiet. I don't think anyone ever goes there.

+oM

Oh and BTW, I know this line of questioning is more ideally suited to the "Tropicalesque" forum. And so I have indeed posted some questions there. But that place is very, very quiet. I don't think anyone ever goes there.

+oM

The most wonderful display of flame vine is at the entrance to Wilderness, a gated community on Goodlette Frank Road in Naples, Florida. The next time you visit (provided it's at this time of year), it will be in full glory.

Thanks Joyce. I'll put that in my file of many things!

+oM

I want one, I just moved down here in mid October from upstate New York and things are so different here, breaks my heart that I can't have my normal gardens down here,I was z4b.And I see amazing plants here which I don't have a clue as to what they are but I would love to have.I really wish there was a way that I could have both!!!

Joyce, I forgot to check that out when down, dern it. But a few comments about my experiment with this plant as an "annual" up here in our summer ornamental program: The plants grew lustily in the greenhouse-no surprise there I suppose. Many were showing sporadic blooms when outplanted. They continued to grow problem-free, draped over the sides of large containers. Somewhere around late June, they burst into full-fledge bloom and were glorious, no doubt about it. But in truth, flowering after that was sporadic and disappointing. Absolutely no problems with vine growth itself, insect damage, or anything like that, but for far too much of our growing season, they were simply big, sprawling green things-not ugly-but just taking up space that I need to have something showier occupying.

So live and learn. I'm glad I tried it, and we did get a few comments from garden-wise folks who wondered what the heck that plant with the orange daisy flowers was.

Of course, none of this has to do with Florida gardening per se, so I'll give the podium and lectern back to someone who is on-topic!