Maurandya

I was about to ask a question about this plant under another name: Lophospermum

http://suntorycollection.com/growers/lofos®-lophospermum/

I bought one plant from a garden centre this spring and it has been fantastic, so I would recommend growing it, FC. A similar lovely plant is Rhodochiton, that is also easy.

My branded 'Suntory' one has grown to a lush 6' and been covered with flowers all summer.

Anybody tried over-wintering anyyhing like this, as I gather ir is actually a tender perennial?

 

Maurandya barclayana, nice plant and perennial if you are very lucky. However it is dead easy from the seed it produces in great quantity. I grew it on a south facing wall with the roots protected by a path and it survived until the first of the bad winters. Still got a baby one from it. That is in a pot in the tunnel, it may survive.
The white form is even more delightful.

 

FC , Rhodochiton is a lovely climber , a little tricky to germinate or maybe that was just me £5.25 for 10 seeds is high. It also has a rather rude nickname - I'll let you find that yourself
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rhodochit...arden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item53f7a4b013
Lofos / Maurandia has a confusion of different plant names . First year I grew it was fantastic , lovely leaves and flowers late in the season . The second year I tried it , only flowered in October !

 

Maurandya (AKA Asarina) are £2.65/pkt at Nickys but only £1.49/pkt at T&M. (but Nickys contain 100 seeds and T&M's only 30).

I once tried growing them but outdoors over 20 years ago but my other climbers smothered them.

 

Scrungee are you on commision from Nickys seeds

 

I never found Rhodochiton to be "easy" from seed, its very slow starting, not bad once it gets going, but its not a rampant climber by any means.
I find it a bit delicate, it needs warmth and a bit of pandering.

It can be grown from cuttings, or better still overwinter a plant and it will perform much better the following year.

 

I grew Asarina scandens at my old house. It is a rampant grower....................


From seed I found it best to lift the seedlings as soon as the embryonic leaves open - they appear to dislike root disturbance. I may have seed if you want some (pm me tomorrow if you do).......................

I've always found the seed that I've saved to be more reliable. Maybe a question of freshness? I agree that it's not rampant. I find it easier to just start fresh plants indoors in March than try to over-winter it. Well worth the effort IMO. Lost mine this year to the squirrels - they emptied my pot of them when they were feeling vindictive.

 

Agree. Bit tricky from seed, and that price is outrageous. Chiltern Seeds is £3.99 - no idea how many in a packet though
http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item.php?id=1092C

Moles Seeds sell it £5.80 for 50 seeds (may be VAT to add)
http://www.molesseeds.co.uk/flower_...ts_Atrosanguineus_1836.html#aRHO50_20_20_2002

Once you have one over winter it if you can