My Snail vine is blooming and I was correct in thinking it was pollinated the same as Vigna caracalla aka Corkscrew Vine. As soon as a flower blooms that is low enough for me to set up tripod and camera, I'll shoot a short video to show you how to help it along in producing seeds.
I've learned to do it literally singlehandedly so I can shoot pictures. I grab the two petals opposite and gently pull.
You'll then see the pistil come out of the tube. When you let go and the pistil goes back in you'll see pollen left behind where the stigma will pick it up. I do this a few times a day.
This message was edited Aug 7, 2008 9:22 AM
The day after next, the flower will fall off leaving a seed pod.
X
Beautiful vine X! Is it really tall? I see in the pix where the seed pod is that there are some ants around it, does it have a fragrance? Clemen
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.
X
Both flowers have splashes of color. The colors probably act as a runway of sorts to let the pollinator know just where to find the nectar.
The top picture is of phaseolus and the bottom caracalla.
X
Ha! You just solved a mystery for me! I was mixing up the two!
Roberta
Lot's of people mix them up. It took me 4 trades to finally get the caracalla .. people kept sending me seeds of phaseolus calling it Corkscrew Vine.
Corkscrew is the operative word. Phaseolus's tube generally only has 1 turn whereas caracalla has multiple turns - it corkscrews around.
Phaseolus is a solid lavender to dark purple with a light fragrance, caracalla is multi-color with a heavy, no missing it fragrance .. reminds me of grape jam.
X
Thanks X! I saw a phaseolus this weekend at HD and was upset as I had just ordered a caracalla online and I coulnt detect any scent at all. I thought this was what I was getting. By the way, the seeds you sent me are doing great, so thank you for a great trade!
R
Ditto! .. the cassia comes up fast don't they? I like the way they close up at night .. even the cotyledons.
The Brunfelsia still hasn't rooted but is doing ok .. The Brugmansia is growing like crazy .. the Lonicera didn't make it ;-( though.
X
Oh, the cassias are so cute! I love it that they close at night! The spanish flag vine is growing crazy for me, I can't wait to see the blooms! The caesalpinia is doing fine in a warm spot too. The only ones that I'm still trying to figure out are the eucalyptus babies, they're not doing so well, but still alive! : )
I'm having the same problem with the eucalyptus .. can't seem to find a happy place for them.
X
X, just wanted to tell you about the dat seeds, well, they sprouted and died on me, how sad right, well, I sent some to my friend upstate NY, and then she gave me the ones that came up for her, after I met her. So now I have her babies which are your babies and ready to bloom. So even though I had a black thumb, my angel friend, gave me her green thumb, which is really your green thumb! . See how we work here around DG, so happy you send me those seeds and thank full! OK, Clemen
P.S. Beileve or not, I still have some of your seeds in a pot, and a baby has germinated, do not want to say much right now, but the baby is growing and has not died yet! i send kisses to her every time I see her!!!
Lol .. now that is really convoluted! Thanks though .. I've had dat seeds come up 8 months later after planting. Others almost jump out of their shells once they hit dirt.
X
Unbelievable right!
Reviving this thread to ask: which one is this?
The purple is Snail Vine, Phaseolus caracalla aka vigna phaseolus .. the white one is Corkscrew Vine, vigna caracalla.
Another way to tell them apart is the tube that holds the reproductive parts. On the Snail Vine there is only 1 turn. On the Corkscrew Vine, usually 3 turns.
Snail Vine cuttings root in a heartbeat .. Corkscrew Vine cuttings are a bit slower.
X
Is there a difference in the leaf color on these. I got seeds in trade from two different people. Both supposed to be Corkscrew. However the leaf on one are darker than the leaves on the other.
To my eyes, the leaves on the Snail vine appear to be a bit darker than the Corkscrew vine.
X
Also wanted to add that the seeds of the Snail Vine are about 1/3 smaller and lighter in color than the corkscrew vine.
X
The leaf color could vary somewhat depending on fertilization & other cultural conditions so I wouldn't make your ID based on that, I'd wait for flowers and then it's very easy to tell which one you have.
I'm SO disappointed! Ugh!!! I bought this last August from Georgia Vines as a V. Caracalla...I've been babying this thing since, this is my first bloom...only to realize I didn't get what I had paid for!!!
So you got the Snail and not the Corkscrew?
X
That's what it looks like! : (
Oh bummer .. let me get some of my snail vine rooting and I'll send you some when the weather cools down a bit .. it will take a few weeks .. I'll go stick some in the bubbler right now.
X
X, I sure do appreciate it!
I am SO disappointed. This plant has been trouble since the beginning, but I wanted so much to smell it's fragrance I kept babying it this whole time. Of course it's been so long I can't even go back to her and complain....
I know how you feel .. it took a number of false starts before I got the right one myself .. the cuttings I took have teeny tiny buds on it .. hopefully they are small enough to where they won't fall off whilst rooting.
The fragrance of the caracalla reminds me of grape jelly.
X
Oops .. just read my post above I said snail vine rooting .. I meant corkscrew vine rooting and that is what I have in the bubbler right now .. so don't worry.
X
Here's a photo..
Two plants...both supposed to be Corkscrew...Vigna caracalla,
The one on the left is from seed, the one on the right from cuttings.
both the seed and cuttings were from trades...
As I was just about to put the one on the right in the ground on a very pretty pyramid trellis, I'd like to be sure it's the corkscrew..I don't really want the snail vine.
mj
lol Mj, no photo!
X, that is so very sweet of you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! : )
Ok ok ok...a blond gray moment........
Can't really tell until it starts to get buds which are very different from each other .. the growing tips of both look identical.
X
I just noticed that the heat has caused my cork screw vine to quit blooming but I have never seen so many seed pods........
I started her from a seed summer before last. She is in a 25" square pot.
I told the African Violet forum that when I collect lots of seed, I will give them away to anyone who wants them. This is the first bean but you just cannot imagine how many beans there will be.
I love both this kind and the blue one you showed..........thanks for sharing it.
