Tuesday, April 14, 2015

BOWER VINE

Pandorea jasminoides
I was amused to hear a backhanded compliment given to this plant, a few years ago. “It doesn’t look like a native!” the speaker said, in a tone which implied that she believed she was bestowing high praise.

Bower vine has become such a familiar sight in our mainstream gardens, that it can be a surprise to discover that not only is it native to Australia, but it is a local plant, growing in the scrubs in the Toowoomba area and along the Great Dividing Range.

These flowers were picked up off the ground in Franke Scrub, Highfields.
As the name “bower vine” suggests, these plants are substantial vines with woody stems, suitable for training over an arch or pergola to make a lovely shady bower. (I suggest planting up to four plants for a quick shade cover.)They are also popular on fences and trellises.

Alternatively, they can be used as a dense, bird-sheltering groundcover, in an open situation where they won’t find anything to climb on. (Let them find a shrub or tree, though, and they’ll take to the heights.)

The pandorea species are named for Pandora, the poor woman who, according to ancient Greek legend, is "responsible" for all the world’s troubles. She was set up, of course. Zeus (a male god, please take note) gave her a box as a wedding present, with the clearly stated aim of tricking humans into accepting an "evil gift".  When she opened it, all unaware of its contents, out they spilled like seeds from the pods of the Pandorea vines. In the myth, these contents were all the troubles of the world, but with Pandorea vines, they are just seeds. They are easy to grow, so if you get hold of one of the pods that are ripening on the vines at this time of year, you can have as many of these lovely vines as you could want.

Bower vines are hardy to Toowoomba droughts, especially if mulched. As with most climbers, their favourite site is one where their roots are in the shade but the canopy is in full sun, where it flowers best.
In a bushfire, these plants are a little more resistant to catching fire than some, which makes them a good plant for fencelines where fires are a concern. No plant is fireproof, though. However, bower vines can be among the first to regrow from their roots once the fire has gone.
They are frost tender when young.








4 comments:

Unknown said...

I was very pleased to discover your informative website and delighted to find that the Bower Vine is a local. I collected a green pod from a vine recently and will let it open of it's own accord and see what I can achieve growing it from seed. I live in Lowood and trust that it will provide much delight.
Kind regards...
Chris Mathers

Patricia Gardner said...

It should work, Chris!
You may even find yourself with more bower vines than you want, as they are very easy to grow from seed.
Happy growing!
Trish
PS Have you been tramping around in your local bushland and looking for other seeds of nice local plants? The seed season is just beginning, and there can be plenty of material for an enthusiastic grower of local natives about, between now and April.

Anonymous said...

Hi Patricia,

I've recently planted 3 Southern Belles along a fence line, and subsequently, I am wondering how deep the root system gets - as they have been described as possessing a "strong and a penetrating root system"?

I ask because they have been planted about 1 metre away from a sewer line that is approximately 1.5 metres deep.

Alternately I've considered planting them in big pots.

Cheers,
Dan

Patricia Gardner said...

Hello Dan.
I am sorry but I can't comment on your Southern Belles. Bower vines vary a lot from place to place in Australia. I don't know where the cultivar "Southern Belle" originated, or any details about its roots such as whether they differ from the plants I am familiar with in the Toowoomba area.
As a cautious generalisation I would say that climbers, unlike trees, don't tend to have deep, problem-causing roots. Pandoreas definitely have sturdy roots (hence their ability to survive some bushfires), but I couldn't not say how large they really are. They don't have any particular reputation for being aggressive water-seekers that would damage pipes.
If it were for myself, I would probably leave it in the ground where it is, but this is something you have to make your own decision on.
All the best.
Trish