Cruel Plant, Moth Plant, Bladder Vine, Poor Man's Stephanoti

Hi does anyone have seed of this and/or have experience growing it.

I know it can be a weed in some places but in the Uk it can't self seed so its never a problem.

I have a long list i can swap if anyone has seed they would exchange with me.

Many thanks

Mike

Mike-
I have this.

It doesn't have any seeds on it right now, and last year didn't even produce any.

I just normally do cuttings, but you are too far away for that...

If I get a fall flush of flowers(and thereafter seeds), I'll try to come back to this thread and let you know.

Fantastic,
Thanks loads. This plant is a weed in some countries so i'm surprised more people don't have this.
But thanks for thinking of me.
Mike

Mike-
It was introduced to me years ago, as a "rare" vine. However, it is not rare, just not widely grown "on purpose".

I've not found it rampant, but I did give it a very large structure to climb on.
The stems remain green in the winter, and in mild winter even retains the leaves all winter long(here in zone 8a, winter lows 10°-15°F).

The vine is very beautiful in full bloom, but I did find it a bit cruel. I originally was told that it trapped insects for pollination and then released them after pollination had occured. Now, that I've had a chance to grow it for several years, I've found this isn't always the case.

One morning, several years ago, while admiring its first flush of new blooms, I noticed something odd. There were tons of little skippers, and moths, and clearwing moths. I thought..."wow, that must have some great nectar!", and then I slowly began to realize that none of them were leaving their flower to visit the next. I stepped closer and realized they were trapped. Really trapped. Their "little sippers"(tongues-don't know the right term) were all very tightly pinched into the flowers. Many had exhausted themselves, or dehydrated themselves, and were dead. I managed to find a few still alive, and ripped the flowers apart. I set the poor creatures on a bench. I came back later to find, I'd been too late.

I muttered to myself..."wow, that really IS a cruel vine"...not only that, but the flowers did not consequently produced pods, either.
We don't have that many clearwing moths, and when I see them it is a real joy. I was particularly sad that so many of them were so fatally attracted to it. Some of the skippers managed to be released by the flowers the following day without dying, but more died, than lived.

I live in Northeast Texas, and its growth is agressive, but manageable here. But, I could see where a warmer, more humid place like Southern or coastal Texas, or many parts of Florida would be a real problem controlling its growth. The seeds are similar to a milkweed pod, and have tons of seeds that can blow in the wind, long distances.

Hi seed picker, Thanks for the message. I used to have this vine at my last house but left it behind. Over in England because we don't have hot summers it does'nt grow to fast but our mild winters alow it to be evergreen.
The flowers never became a problem i think they do the cruel thing in warmer climates but english cold wet summers slow the tongue trapping.
In the 5 years i had it i never saw a single trapped month and had only 1 seed pod!

Cheers

Mike

Seed picker can you post pictures of this? It sounds interesting to me.

Thanks,
Marie

Marie, you want to see pictures of dying insects??? Lol
I assume you mean the plant is interesting.

Yes now that I just reread my post I meant the plant. :o)

Here is a picture of the cruel vine

and here is a close up of the flowers. They are chubby little flowers, and only about an inch, or inch & a half, long.

I like the look of this one. Do you know the botanical name? I would like to see if I can find some place to purchase this.

Do you know how to root cuttings?

No I am lucky if I manage to get a seed to germinate. I am still working through my black thumb. :o)

Here is a site with a fact sheet on them.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/vines/araujia_sericifera.html

The botanical name is Araujia sericifera.

Thanks seedpicker. I found it so far at Logees

You are welcome.
Ü

So does it smell as sweet as sweet as regular Stephanotis?

Robert.

I have both, and think the real "Stephie" is stronger.

I guess you guys are sleeping now cause of the time difference.
Great pictures of the plant.
Im really jelous. You wouldn't get that many flowers over here.

Don't be jealous...I feel like every time I see a neat plant, it is grown in the UK. You all seem to get all the good plants!, lol...

I was thinking the same thing about Texas and California and Florida and Hawaii........

Hehehe. Plant people allways try and grow the impossible. Its the challenge we love.

Still noone has come forward and said here i have seed of this funny plant! Since its a weed someone must have it!