Vines and Climbers: Vigna Phaseolus aka Snail Vine, 0 by Xeramtheum

Xeramtheum wrote:
Thanks! They can get very tall and they can be very invasive .. that's why I grow all my vigna's in containers .. this one is in a hanging basket and I've trimmed it back a few times to keep it from mugging my beaumontia.

It does have a fragrance but it is very light compared to it's cousin, vigna caracalla - corkscrew vine. The ants hang around because of extrafloral nectaries, EFN. They may play a very small part in fertilizing the flowers, but I have never seen one actually go inside a tube. Here is a thread that discusses EFN's:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/758688/

Ants probably act more as a protector than pollinator. I imagine that flying insects such as bee's or hummingbirds are the chief pollinators. It requires that the petals be physically moved in order for the pistil to emerge from the tube.

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