I need some information about this vine. How big are the flowers and what color are they normally?
Is this vine considered invasive in Florida?
I can't seem to find much about this vine as far as details.
This is the one that I am growing in the window sill at this time. It will be transplanted into a large pot and placed outdoors. I love the leaves! It seems to be a hardy vine and germinated and has grown pretty rapidly since I first planted the seed.
Here's a different view of this vine. I really like it!!
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=medi2 has a pic and some good info becky
Becky, I bought this from a local nursery, in a 4" pot - it turned black within a week and died - did you start this from seed or buy a plant? If you bought a plant, could you tell me where to get another one? TTYS
Becky, I think this species is one of the more dreaded mg species in Florida. It grows extremely fast, and produces many seeds.
It swallows large object in a short time if planted in the ground and is reported to root down where ever it touches the ground. I would like to know the genuine latin name of it. Frank
Thanks y'all!
Frank - The latin name is: Merremia dissecta
I have a space in-between my front entrance sidewalk and the driveway where I could put a pot. That area has been a bare spot and an eyesore for years. I was thinking of putting this vine in a large pot there with some 6' tall stakes and keeping it pruned pack and also removing any seed pods. And of course making sure some seed pods do ripen so I can share. This vine looks very hardy and the foliage is just gorgeous. I was trying to discern what size the flowers are. I believe they are smaller blooms, but am not sure. White in color?
I am wondering if this is a nightmare vine like Bindweed as far are taking over everything in sight? Should I be worried about it kidnapping my second and third born children? And even perhaps my dh and neighbors? Can it crawl into windows and remove it's victims?!!! LOL!
I grew two in a 15 gallon pot in Southern Cal, it was very dry heat there, and I think it grows all over TX also. It was not really agressive in the dry heat, it didn't bloom a whole lot either, I did get some seeds from it the second year. I thought it was a gonner but it came back and bloomed, you have to catch the flowers early or you will miss them, they are not real big. Whitish yellow, with a darker center/eye.. I don't know if I've ever posted a photo or not, or even If I knew how to take photos then..lol. It was in 2002 or 2003 I think. Maybe someone that grows it in TX can give some input. You never know how it will react with more humidity. I'll see if I find a photo of mine. I am thinking there were some in the plant files.
Here is the entry in the PlantFiles
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/87166/
I have traded Merremia dissecta to many people all over the country including Florida and have never heard any complaints about the plant being overly invasive or aggressive...especially if attended to by a realistically informed and interested gardener...
Frank - The difficulty with common names like 'Alamo Vine' is that they are most often associated with the type of dis-informational hype splattered on the web that scares people away from the majority of MG species which are not overly invasive...
The relatively large seeds of M.dissecta do not find there way into every little nook and cranny the way the smaller seeds do...the few lateral roots do not produce new plants and it does not readily root every place it touches the ground...
TTY,...
Ron
Thank you Ron for all that information. I really like this plant and I read that it is drought tolerant. Another plus because of where I live. Of course, if I grow it in a pot, it will need more frequent watering.
I have one last question...
Is it an annual or perennial? In my zone?
Merremia dissecta is a perennial...
Becky, invasive doesn't always mean that it finds its way into every nook and cranny. Many times it just means that it will take over a tree and position itself up on top, where it gets the best sunlight.
I know that when I have seen I. indica referred to as invasive, it wasn't about lots of seeds. The pictures always showed them incrusting the tops of tall trees.
Down there in the gulf states, where hurricanes and migrating birds can bring in species from S. America, the name
Alamo Vine could probably mean a good number of species.
I think that if 10 different people in the gulf states sent me seeds for the Alamo vine, I would probably get a number of species.
One fact remains for sure, it has beautiful foliage, and in generous supply. Some of the palmate leafed species are a little sparing with the foliage by comparison. I would like to find some with leaves twice the size. Frank
I like it becky
SWEET!!!
Thanks Ron! All good answers I was hoping to hear!
Frank - Thanks also for you take on this vine! :-)
I hope I get seeds from this one. I only received a small amount of seeds. I think I will grow the others out in the same (larger) pot in the front of my house. :-)
