Ipomoea mauritiana

Last year, I bought 10 seeds of I. mauritiana. I started them in late july, and they all germinated with gusto, except 1. I assumed the seed rotted. I started them in coir pellets, similar to peat pellets, but made out of coconut husk fiber, and much easier to remoisten if they dry out. I now prefer them, but they are not available in a range of sizes yet. Tonight I took them out of their shoe box and potted them and thought you might like to hear some of my observations.

At 3 months old, half of them were 2 feet long, with a dozen leaves or so on them. I was amazed that at 3 months they were already forming a caudex. Most of them were about 5 mm diameter, that is just under 1/4 inch. I've never seen a caudex form so rapidly. And these reportedly reach 40#.

The 10th one that apparently had had the seed rot, was a huge surprise. No sign of a live plant on the top, but on the bottom of the pellet, masses of hair like roots, just like the ones with vines 2 feet long. On the other 9, the caudexes were quite visible and uniform

The leaves are just beautiful. It isn't long before they turn into 5 pointed leaves like Ivy or Maple. One of the vines had sent out a side shoot, and it was MUCH thicker than the mother vine.

I got these seeds off Bid or Buy, and Silverhill, last time I looked, still had had some.

At the time I started these, I also started 8 panduratas. One survived, and it is already showing a caudex too. I had all these pellets together, both species in the same plastic shoe box, and 7 of the 8 panduratas rotted, and the mauritiana didn't. I need to find some more pandurata seeds now.

I thought some of you might enjoy hearing about some other kind, so , there it is. It would be nice to hear from those of you that are growing this one also, and how old yours are. Frank

Frank. I'll send you some pandy seeds.

Hi Frank, I have some of that growing, too.. and I also have some pandy seeds I can send you, and would be cool to see them grow with Jackies.

My pandy coughed up one seed a couple of years ago and needs a good home - looks like you're It:)

It grows within the dripling of a monster silver maple and has been sulking and refusing to bloom ever since producing that seed grrr.

Hi Frank, mine is not a I. mauritiana, but an i. IPOMOEA MAGNUSIANA, sorry! i got seeds from it/// it is still vining and blooming in the basement Garden..

It sounds like we are forming a caudex club here. I. mauritiana seeds are not hard to get, they are used for food in Africa. That magnusiana blooming is a plus. Isnt it time for the S. bereviensis to bloom? Dana said hers was budding up.