Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Mucuna species, 1 by SoCal

SoCal wrote:
I bought this plant this past spring from Logees and didn't know anything about it, other than it was pretty in the catalog. It was a small plant and has been gradually growing all year. It is still only about 3 ft. long, but the vine has become very strong and woody and doing well.

Just before Christmas, after a large rainstorm, I walked around the back garden to see if there was any damage and low and behold I saw a red flower growing on my arbor. Wow, was I shocked, especially since it's in the middle of winter. I had no idea that this would bloom this year at all. There are 2 long tendrils and each of them have lots of red petals (not petals, but I don't know what to call them. I looked this up in the PF and I think it is Mucuna bennetti. As the plant gets older, the flush on the tendrils should become much fuller.

If anyone knows more about this plant, I would appreciate any info. I went back to Logees site, but they don't have it listed anymore.

Donna