Flame Vine: How to grow and care for Pyrostegia Venusta?

Commonly known as Flame Vine, Pyrostegia Venusta is a beautiful vine that bears the most attractive flowers. These plants are commonly found around houses and patios, where they form a canopy and add to the show of the house. Flame Vine is a favourite amongst gardeners looking to add a dash of colour and beauty to their home gardens. So, read on to learn how to  grow and care for Pyrostegia Venusta in your garden.

What is Flame Vine?

Flame Vine, scientifically named Pyrostegia Venusta, is a creeper that can grow rapidly and cover an entire house within a year’s time. The plant sports bright orange flowers that are shaped like trumpets and grow in bunches. This plant can rise up to a height of 5 feet when mature and continue growing into its late years. Also known as the orange trumpet vine, the plant is native to South America, where it grows in abundance. However, it was introduced to other countries around the world and had quickly become one of the most loved flowering vines for gardens.

Source: Pinterest 

Flame Vine: Key facts

See also: What is Hibiscus and how to grow it in your home?

Flame Vine: Characteristics

Flame Vine is a beautiful creeper plant that produces clusters of vibrant orange-coloured 3-inch long tubular flowers between fall and spring. In some regions, the vine can bloom lightly even during spring. This fast-growing vine can grow uncontrollably if left unchecked. It can be great for covering fences as it climbs rapidly using its tendrils. With proper care and maintenance, its growth can be controlled to make it look lovely. If left to its own devices, Flame Vine is known to choke surrounding trees. In addition to looking stunning, this creeper vine is loved by humming birds and is virtually resistant to pests, limiting efforts to only pruning and training.

Flame Vine: How to grow Pyrostegia Venusta?

• Warm weather and shelter from cold winds are essential for the orange trumpet vine. Established plants can tolerate light frosts but are generally frost-sensitive.
• In most soils, it will grow but will perform more effectively if the soil has been improved with compost, manure, and some pelletised organic fertiliser. 
• Before planting, apply some gypsum to heavy clay soil to ensure appropriate drainage.
• As soon as the plant is planted, water it with OCP eco-seaweed to establish it and mulch the base of the plant to help it retain moisture. 
• The plant is relatively drought tolerant, although, in the first year, it will benefit from some watering.
• There is some support needed for the orange trumpet vine’s tendrils to cling to. 
• The mature plant should be supported by sturdy wires or trellises.

See also: 21 best flowers for your garden

Flame Vine: How to care for Pyrostegia Venusta?

Pyrostegia venusta is an amazing plant that can make your house look more pristine. The bright orange flowers will adorn your garden and make people stop to enjoy its beauty. This plant can be grown pretty easily with a bit of care. These plants can grow very rapidly, so you don’t have to put in a lot of work to keep them alive and growing.

Source: Pinterest 

Here are some care tips for flame vine or Pyrostegia venusta that will help you grow them better:-

Flame Vine: Soil requirement

The plant doesn’t have a lot of demands from the soil. You can plant it in normal garden soil and mix some perlite for easy drainage. The plant doesn’t survive frost, so you can also opt to plant some of them in pots. They grow best when planted directly in the ground, so the ideal location for placement would be your yard or garden. You can also have them on terraces and balconies if you want them to trail down. You can use a well-drained pot for this plant if you don’t have access to a garden.

Flame Vine: Water requirement

Trumpet vine does require adequate watering, especially in the summers. It needs to be watered at least once a day when mature. For smaller plants, watering them once every two days is mandatory. However, don’t let the water become stagnant at the roots. 

Flame Vine: Sunlight requirements

Trumpet vine grows best under direct sun. It is completely an outdoor plant that loves to soak in sunlight. Placing them in a location where sunlight is available for at least 6-8 hours is ideal. They can do partial shade as well. However, for best growth, adequate sunlight is a must for Pyrostegia venusta. 

Flame Vine: Uses

There are many ornamental and medicinal uses of Flame Vine. 

Flame Vine: Ornamental uses

Pyrostegia Venusta is an important ornamental plant that doesn’t just sit and look good. It is true that people mostly use this plant to create breathtaking landscapes and hide ugly pieces of architecture or details. Additionally, it can cool your garden by providing shade and helping other plants that don’t thrive well in direct sunlight. 

Flame Vine: Medicinal uses

The plant is also said to possess some medicinal properties that many people are not aware of.

Source: Pinterest 

Here are some medicinal uses of flame vine or Pyrostegia Venusta:-

• In traditional folk medicine, the flame vine has been used to create remedies for skin diseases or conditions like leucoderma and vitiligo.
• The plant is said to have anti-inflammatory properties and has been used by native Brazilians to cure cough, bronchitis, flu and cold.
• The anti-inflammatory property of Pyrostegia Venusta also makes it ideal for treating wounds and allergies.
• An infusion of extracts from the flame vine or Pyrostegia Venusta is used to treat diarrhoea, vitiligo and jaundice.

FAQs