I've tried growing jiaogulan 3 times. The first plant never grew much, but it survived the winter, just barely, and died the 2nd year with no noticable growth. I ordered a plant last year and I immediately planted it, and it mysteriously dissapeared. I think they resent transplanting. I have a new Gynostemma pentaphyllum that arrived very healthy, with longish vines. I ordered it from a place called Companion Plants and I'm very happy with what they sent. They advised me to leave it in the original pot for a few days. Since then I repotted it and it's greening up really nice. I'm debating whether to put it in the ground or keep it potted. My hope is that it will take off, and hopefully be so healthy that it roots new plants at it's nodes. I've always been interested in jiaogulan because of it's ginseng-like medicinal compounds. I will definitely be taking it inside to grow under lights during the winter. Joe Hollis, the guru at Mountain Gardens, ,(RIP)said his vigorous jiaogulan never produced seed in North Carolina because the growing season is too short. So there's no hope for us either. I ordered jiaogulan seeds once, but not any germinated. I tasted a leaf and it tasted like a bitter cucumber skin magnified by 1000 times. I sometimes like that bitterness. I usually only encounter that bitterness with garden grown cukes. I also like that jiaogulan is so easy to use. Just harvest the vines, dry them out and make tea. I need to photograph it.

https://youtu.be/S5DwcnZ8XYk?is=gBr_Eq_XtwcEZ4EQ