Characteristics
A fleshy climber. It can climb 3 m high. It has thick, tuberous roots. The stems are fleshy and branching. The leaves are opposite. The leaves are broad and wedge shaped. They taper to the tip. There are irregular lobes along the edge. They are 4-8 cm long. There are fine teeth along the edge. The flowers are bell shaped and hang down. They are orange to red with darker veins. They are 3-6 cm long. They have 6 petal lobes which curl back. The flower are in the upper axils of leaves. The fruit are black berries. They are edible.
| Life form |
perennial
|
| Growth form |
herb
|
| Growth support |
climber
|
| Foliage retention |
deciduous
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
-
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
0.1 - 0.5
|
| Mature height (meter) |
1.0 - 1.5
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
|
| Blooming months |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | | Apr | May | Jun | | Jul | Aug | Sep | | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
It grows naturally in Tenerife in the Canary islands. It grows in shady ravines and woodland. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.
| Light |
|
| Soil humidity |
|
| Soil texture |
|
| Soil acidity |
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
|
Usage
The fleshy capsule, roots and young shoots are eaten. The fruit are eaten raw or made into preserves.
Cultivation
Plants are grown from seed planted as soon as they are ripe. It needs a temperature of 15-22°C. It can be grown from cuttings of the base.
| Mode |
cuttings
seedlings
|
| Germination duration (days) |
30 - 180
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
18 - 23
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-7
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
Home