Rhodochiton atrosanguineum

[Barbara]

I'm thinking of growing this from seed this year, in a pot on the patio to grow over the shed, has anyone grown this in a pot before  please.

[andy]

Yep, absoluely fine. The flowers are a little...*ahem* Phallic

Not sure how fast or far they grow or if they grow well enough to cover a shed but they are nice. Some of the Thumbergia also do well in that situation.

[Barbara]

Andy the mag I saw them in says 10 ft a season but dies off in frost.

[andy]

Oh maybe then....they only grew 4-5 foot when i grew them in the palm house at work. Be good if they do get 10 foot. Yes, they are a tender climber.

[Rosefriend]

I shared a packet of seeds with Oldmoleskins in 2009 Barbara, and they did very well indeed in a tub with an obelisk - didn't reach 10feet - well I kept tucking them into the Obelisk so I am not sure what the length/height was in the end...lovely plant though...brought a smile to the neighbours face anyway !!

[Barbara]

Thanks RF, I'm stuck between that and Akebia Quinata, will have a look at the GC for seeds this coming week.

[Rosefriend]

Feb 9, 2015 8:29:54 GMT Barbara said:

Thanks RF, I'm stuck between that and Akebia Quinata, will have a look at the GC for seeds this coming week.

Akebia in a pot wouldn't be too good methinks - it is a thug after the first year...the roots go down to China and our broke a wooden Arch way after 3 years..
Wonderful plant in the ground, in the right place though...

Rhodochiton atrosanguineum is an annual though - is that what you wanted Barbara?

[Barbara]

I don't mind re-sowing every year Rosefriend, I just want to cover the side of the shed, and wanted something different to a a clematis.

[Tig]

I doubt the rhodochiton would cover your shed Barbara. I have grown them for many years and the tallest they've been is around 4' - 5' in the warmest summers. They are slow to get going, so I would recommend sowing them a bit earlier than other annual climbers.

[Jilly]

I'm growing Rhodochiton this year too but I'm cheating & ordering plug plants, funny you should mention Thumbergia too andy, this is the collection that I've ordered from Sarah Raven, think Jasmine has ordered it too.

[andy]

Like that Jilly.

[Jasmine]

That's the one Jilly - I am expecting great things from SR!

[Ladygardener]

Jasmine, Jilly, they're wonderful together are'nt they. A strong contender for the climbing challenge this year.

I grew this climber from seeds that Missredhead sent to me and it struggled a lot. I did eventually get a couple of weak flowers in autumn. I grew it in a pot as well.

Nasturtiums can be trained to climb and are easy enough to self seed or resow each year Barbara. A climbing Rose should work as well Barbara, as could Honeysuckle and you'd have lovely scent too.

[Barbara]

I don't want nasturtiums LG, I don't like the way honeysuckle grows, and I'm not a great rose lover sorry, what about a passion flower then ? or trachelospermum jasminoides.?

[Jilly]

Oh a Passion Flower would definitely do the job Barbara, there is the problem that you might have to hack your way into the shed in a couple of years though. Perhaps you could do a mixture of annual climbers & see which one you like the best, then do another pot with something permanent in it when you spot something you like.

[Chuckles]

Agree with what Tig said about the Rhodochiton. Had you thought of just putting trellis up the side of the shed and growing sweet peas in tubs, I'm always a bit worried about stuff growing over the roof of my shed.