Bulletproof (I Wish It Was…)

Eccremocarpus scaber, Chilean Glory Flower. Allegedly a rambunctious annual vine, possibly perennial in my zone 10.
Usually characterized as a vine to cover sheds and vast expanses of unsightly fence. In other words, bulletproof.

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Image from Jungle Seeds

“Blooms early and all summer long.” “Easily grown climber.” “Fast-growing.”

Except in my garden. Imagine this grapevine festooned with the Chilean Glory Flower in bloom.
That delicate tracery of leaves about 5 feet up the grapevine is my nonflowering eccremocarpus.

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September 1st and still no blooms, and this a two-year-old plant that lived over from last year. I’ve heard of “blind” bulbs that never flower but a blind vine?
I know Matti and Megan of Far Out Flora have had raging success with it in one of the foggiest districts of San Francisco, which tells me that, contrary to its heat-loving, full-sun reputation, it possibly prefers coolish conditions and diffuse, muted sunlight. My garden about a mile from the ocean is probably the closest approximation to those conditions in Southern California. I really thought this summer would be the one to bloom the Chilean Glory Flower.

Bulletproof…I wish it was.

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3 Responses to Bulletproof (I Wish It Was…)

  1. Megan says:

    Seriously? That sucks! I have to admit ours have been way less flowery this year than last, but we still have a couple months to go. Ours didn’t see any caterpillar mass attacks like so many of our other plants either. The ‘Cherry Red’ at Annie’s went nuts, but I’m convinced Annie sprinkles magic fairy dust on all the plants at the nursery.

  2. Denise says:

    Megan, you will let me know when that fairy dust is for sale too? I swear it is a gift few people have, to grow many kinds of plants well.

  3. Angie says:

    That Radiohead song was one of my favorite teenagehood tunes..thanks for the nostalgia! I’ve been lurking your blog..you take disgustingly beautiful pictures of already perfect plants. Respect!

    Angie from Singapore

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