Tuesday, May 5, 2015

What the #@&*? But that's not possible!

Tired, dirty, and ready to head inside after along (fabulous) day in the garden, I was coiling up the hose when I spotted this growing along the foundation of the house. The twigs belong to Parthenocissus, as do the tiny red/green leaves. It's those bright green leaves dead center that grabbed my attention. There is really only one thing they could be...

A baby from this, my Passiflora 'Sunburst' - which is theoretically impossible because that plant is only USDA Zone 10 hardy. We had a fairly mild winter by my garden saw a low of 21 F and plenty of nights in the mid 20's.

After a winter indoors the original vine is back outside, planted at the base of the trellis and doing fine. What, you can't see it?

Here it is...

After several failed attempts to propagate the plant via cuttings I did a quick dig late last fall, severing most of the roots but getting just enough to keep it alive.

That new baby must be coming up from last years roots? There were no fruit to have provided seed. To say that I'm thrilled is an understatement, after trying so hard to keep this plant alive I'm amazed that it's gone and done something like this. Up against the house and next to a basement window must be quite the magic micro-climate...

More crazy orange blooms ahead!!!

All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

40 comments:

  1. So exciting! I'll be interested to see how the survivor does this year -- will it limp along or catch up to its "twin" (not mother)?

    BTW, I'll be using lots of #$&! to describe my passiflora soon, as it will be coming up literally everywhere in my patio area.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've been trying to decide if I leave it where it is and hope it climbs over to the trellis or if I move it. I think I'm leaning towards leaving it, since that's where it decided to be. And thanks for the warning about yours!

      Delete
  2. Ha! Its just being a passion vine. Comes up everywhere. Have never seen a seed. Magic. I like the flame color though. Maybe you'll get some gulf fritillarys. Pyle in Butterflies of Cascadia says they are potential visitors to southern Oregon. Eventually with more warm weather and plants like yours it'll get there (farther north).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I emailed the lady I bought this from (also here in the Portland area) and she'd never heard of this happening here either. I know hardy ones have that reputation. Interesting that you've not seen a seed. I just assumed in places where they set fruit seeding would happen.

      Delete
  3. That's great news! And perhaps shows that this very exotic looking climber is a lot hardier than first perceived!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ya I'm wondering if that might be the case, and now that I have two plants there just might be some experimenting!

      Delete
  4. How cool is that? I would definitely leave it there, since that's where it decided it likes to live. I've been wondering if those flowers are as stinky as I've read on the Internet?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Funny thing about the scent of the flowers. If I stick my nose right in there I can detect a very faint smell. While it isn't one I would describe as nice it also wouldn't occur to me to call it out as disgusting. However last fall I cut several pieces to enjoy the flowers indoors and in hopes they'd magically root in a water filled vase. Andrew walked into the house and immediately asked what that horrible smell was. Anytime a new flower opened he knew it before I saw it. It was so horrible to him that I ended up cutting the flowers off. Usually it is I that has the more sensitive nose, especially where a couple of former coworkers of ours who didn't believe in deodorant were concerned.

      Delete
    2. Oh and btw, outdoors the scent dissipated in such a way that he was never bothered by it.

      Delete
  5. SUCH a beautiful Passiflora. And kinda awesome that it decided to come back!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yay!!! that is good news!!! I love that plant and its leaves...and its flowers!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope it was blooming during the Fling, I can't remember!

      Delete
  7. Recognized those little green leaves in your first picture ans said to myself, she's right, it's not possible! Obviously it is. How cool is that? Congratulations on your miracle!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Plants are the craziest things aren't they?

      Delete
  8. I'm guessing that right against the house, with that dark wall absorbing heat, you have a microzone. So exciting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed, I guess I'll be leaving it there, just to see how successful it can be.

      Delete
  9. So exciting a double win. An unexpected baby and an unexpected survivor.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've been checking around to see if there are any other little green leaves appearing but so far just the one.

      Delete
  10. Garden Magic! I love it when that happens! And I love the shape of those leaves!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh my, this has ramifications for the Kathy garden ! If it can live through your winter surely in will live through mine ?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Magic microclimate indeed! I do love the color of that passionflower and every time I see it I wonder if I shouldn't try growing it again. In the past, the Gulf Friillary caterpillars have consumed my vines before I see more than 1 or 2 flowers. Of course, seeing butterflies emerge is pretty exciting too.

    ReplyDelete
  13. That's a great surprise! Now you have two and you can experiment!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe since your back in the PNW you'll have to take a few cuttings and see if you can propagate it?

      Delete
  14. Replies
    1. Ha, that's pretty much exactly what I said when I saw it!

      Delete
  15. AnonymousMay 06, 2015

    That's a really pretty passionflower!

    ReplyDelete
  16. This requires a virtual toast! I promise to do my part.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wow, that's awesome! I planted the regular purple one, a tiny baby from a friend's plant, last summer and it stayed green all winter. Maybe that's typical of the variety, but it's super exciting to me to have a giant vine already in May.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay! Hope you get lots of blooms this year.

      Delete
  18. Congrats! That is great news! I've noticed that the area just adjacent to my foundation on the south and west sides of the house are surprisingly mild microclimates where I can push zones a bit. Also, along the bottom of our rock wall. What a wonderful surprise for you!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is it wrong that I keep hoping/looking for more?

      Delete
  19. That's awesome! It might have been improbable but definitely not impossible. Hooray for you!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!