Hardiness zones
Sunset 12-24, elsewhere as annual
USDA 9-11, 1-8 as annual
Landscape Use: Trellis, arbor, container
Form & Character: Delicate, tropical
Growth Habit: Vigorously twining tropical evergreen vine to 100', needs structural support such as a fence or trellis to twine upon
Foliage/Texture: Alternate, trifoliate (three leaflets/leaf) leaf, leaflets ovate to lanceolate to 3", medium texture
Flowers & Fruits: White to bluish purple (most common), classis pea flower with distinct hooked spur or keel, sometimes fragrant; fruit is a linear pod to 7" long.
Seasonal Color: Flowers in spring, and then sporadically during summer.
Temperature: Cold sensitive, chilling injury below 40oF
Light: Partial shade to full sun when mature. No western exposures.
Soil: Tolerant
Watering: Apply irrigations regularly throughout the year, drought sensitive but use water to control the vigorous growth of this vine
Pruning: Shear or head back vigorously to control spread, needs support to climb by twining
Propagation: Cutting, seed
Disease and pests: None
Additional comments: A nice, but extremely (DANGER!!...DANGER!!) vigorous vine for a tropical landscape effect where purple blue flowers are wanted for a cooling effect. Will freeze to ground but rapidly re-grow in spring. Vigna contains over 200 species and is closely related to the genera Phaseolus and Hardenbergia.
