Araujia sericifera
| Araujia sericifera | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 33' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Blooms: | Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Araujia sericifera (common name: cruel plant)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. The seed can be sown at any time of the year if the greenhouse is heated[1]. Germinates in 3 - 6 weeks at 20°c according to one report whilst another says that it takes 1 - 6 months at 25°c[1]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, late autumn in a frame[2].
Cultivation: Prefers a good loamy soil but succeeds in any fertile soil[3][4]. Requires a sunny position[4].
Plants are not very hardy outdoors in Britain, they succeed outdoors only in the mildest areas of the country[2][3]. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[K]. Plants produce fruit when growing on a wall at Glendurgan gardens in Cornwall[5].
A very vigorous twining plant when growing in a suitable position[4][6].
The flowers have a very strong scent that can be offensive if approached too closely[6]. This scent attracts night-flying moths who are seeking nectar, but the flowers are designed in such a way as to trap the moths by their tongues until morning when those who have survived the ordeal can escape[7][6].
Range: S. America - Brazil and Peru. Naturalized in S.W. Europe
Habitat: Sandy sea shores in S.W. Europe[8][9].
Edibility: Fruit - after preparation[10]. No further details are given but the fruit is a long grooved pod 12.5 x 7.5cm, tapering to a fascicle of hairs 2.5cm long[7].
Usage: A strong fibre obtained from stems is used in making textiles[11][12].
Pollinators: Lepidoptera
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan, 1988.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ Thurston, Edgar. Trees and Shrubs in Cornwall. Cambridge University Press, 1930.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Grey-Wilson, Christopher and Victoria Matthews. Gardening on Walls. Collins, 1983.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Komarov, Vladimir. Flora of the USSR. Gantner Verlag, 1968.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.