{"id":21522,"date":"2011-09-01T16:09:18","date_gmt":"2011-09-01T20:09:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/?p=21522"},"modified":"2011-09-01T16:09:18","modified_gmt":"2011-09-01T20:09:18","slug":"bulletproof-i-wish-it-was","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/?p=21522","title":{"rendered":"Bulletproof (I Wish It Was…)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"Photobucket\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Image from Jungle Seeds<\/a><\/p>\n

“Blooms early and all summer long.” “Easily grown climber.” “Fast-growing.” <\/p>\n

Except in my garden. Imagine this grapevine festooned with the Chilean Glory Flower in bloom.
\nThat delicate tracery of leaves about 5 feet up the grapevine is my nonflowering eccremocarpus.<\/p>\n

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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?
\nI know Matti and Megan of Far Out Flora<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

Bulletproof…I wish it was.<\/p>\n