Tecomanthe dendrophila - the New Guinea Trumpet Vine - is a spectacular vine that's rarely seen in cultivation.  Throughout much of the year, it's loaded with striking clusters of big, pink & white blossoms in a circular arrangement around the stems.  When grown over an arbor or trellis, it makes a truly amazing floral display!  If you can provide the right conditions for this tropical vine, it's very easy to grow.

It is a vigorous but well-behaved vine that looks attractive even without blooms.  It loves to climb up trees, hence the name dendrophilla (meaning "tree loving"), but it rarely smothers other plants.  Unlike most vines, the flowers emerge directly from the woody stems, not from the new growth.  The large, 4 inch blossoms are a delightful deep-pink with a creamy white throat, and each cluster has about 15 to 20 of them.  The vine can potentially grow over 40 feet long, but it is easily kept a few feet long if desired.

It grows best with warm daytime temperatures, similar to warm-growing orchids.  It tolerates cooler conditions, and can even survive a light frost, but try to protect it from frost.  It can handle anything from full sun down to bright shade, but it seems happiest mid-way in part sun.  It grows well in a large pot in well-draining soil that's kept evenly moist.  Over about 50% humidity is best for this rain forest vine.  It's safe to prune back the new shoots any time during the year, since it flowers from the old growth.

Photos courtesy of John Jennings and Benoit Henry

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