scented white creeper in South Africa

[Diane Whitehead]

Flowering right now along the Breede River in Bontebok National Park, on
the Garden Route near Swellendam.

The staff (I don't think he was a naturalist) didn't know what it was.

I think it looks like an asparagus, but is so much more floriferous than any
in the flower guide books.

It scents the air all around.  I want to grow it.

[majallison]

Asparagus falcatus, methinks

[Paul T]

Diane,

Some of those Asparagus climbers are pernicious weeds, invading woodlands etc.  No idea whether they would be a problem in your climate/area, but choose carefully as they set berries freely and the birds carry them far and wide.  I don't know whether yours in the pic is one of them or not, but I do know that there are problems with some of them here in Aus in bushland, so wanted to mention just in case.

[Lesley Cox]

It's very pretty but WHERE'S THE SCENT BUTTON??

[Diane Whitehead]

Great!  Thanks for the name.  It is grown in California, so I may be able to buy one next time I drive down.
It will have to grow in my greenhouse, of course.  That area of South Africa is a lot milder than my home.

[SusanS]

It's very pretty but WHERE'S THE SCENT BUTTON??

I'm with you on this one Lesley.  Whilst I like looking at the pretty flowers it is the scent I enjoy the most.

Mind you I have had one or two nasty experiences sniffing some of the plants Darren grows in the greenhouse     To preserve domestic harmony he now tends to put the smelly ones at the back of the benches and the nicer ones at the front 

[Lesley Cox]

What nasty experiences Susan? A bee up the nostril? I had a wasp fly down my (somewhat exposed) cleavage on Saturday, a warm day at the market. A helpful man began to retrieve it then decided he'd better not. Fortunately I was able to grab it in a tissue before it stung me. 

[SusanS]

Thankfully nothing as nasty as that.  Just nasty niffs. 

I have learnt not to sniff the Biarums    there is however one Conophytum, (hians), that smells horrible but looks just like the nice smelling ones ..... catches me out every year!

[TheOnionMan]

That reminds me of Codonopsis lanceolata, which I had in the garden for 5-6 years. The flowers are only faintly foetid, but are so beautifully spotted inside that I like to lift up the bells to look inside, and occasionally test the scent (I'm a sniffer first and foremost) but look out, typically there will be a wasp (yellow jacket) inside each flower.