Tropaeolum 2011

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

This is about Tr RHOMBOIDEUM but can be extended to other species. I've been given a few seeds of this species. Only one germinated and bloomed. The result was not what I expected. This seems to be a hybrid between Tr RHOMBOIDEUM and ( probably ) Tr BEUTHII. When pollinators are doing their job you can't be sure of what you get ( unless you hand pollinate the flowers )...and the plant produced no tuber nor any seed...so...goodbye!
J-P

[Jozef Lemmens]

Tropaeolum polyphyllum is rather easy in my garden.

[Maggi Young]

We've never got it to establish here, though there are gardens not half a mile away where it thrives..... it may be easy for you Jef, but it is still very beautiful!

[Jupiter]

Jozef, thanks for posting those pictures. WOW! I've tried twice to germinate polyphyllum without success. I've got some more seed so might give it one more shot before I give up. I'd be satisfied with just a single small plant let alone the cascade of marvelousness you've got happening there. Congratulations.

[Graham Catlow]

The first time I saw T. polyphyllum at RBGE I thought it was amazing and Jozef yours has reawakened my interest. I have seen it a few times now and have always been astounded by it. Although some suggest it can be invasive and may travel to places you might not want it, and that it roots very deeply. What are others experiences? I would really like to give it a go.

[mark smyth]

I cant grow it either yet it's a week in Bob Gordons garden. Maybe I'll ask for some to try again

Is it too late to sow canary creeper Tropaeolum peregrinum ? I would like one or two to go up a birch tree in my garden

[Susan Band]

Graham, Think carefully about where to plant it. I made the mistake of planting it in one of my frames and it has now taken over 2 of them moving under the path and concrete blocks. I now grow it in pallet boxes with the idea that I will drop the side to remove the roots for selling. I does make a great show and dies down quickly after flowering so if you plant it amongst things that have finished flowering at this time and can cope with a month or so of smothering it should be okay.
Susan

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi Jozef,
Extraordinary festoons of flowers, leaves and flower buds! A marvellous diplay indeed... How old is ( are ) your plant ( s )? Where did you settle it ( them )? in a rockery?
J-P

[Lesley Cox]

Incredible display Jozef. Will you care if it takes over the garden - or the earth?

It grows OK for me (originally from Archibald seed) but has never had a single bloom. My mother was given it years ago by a local gardener and hers flowered (not so well as that) once the tubers had reached the bottom of the wooden barrel in which she planted them but my tubers don't go down. I can lift them any time I like, just below the surface and when I planted some really deep in a concrete tub, I never saw them again. So.......?

[Graham Catlow]

Graham, Think carefully about where to plant it. I made the mistake of planting it in one of my frames and it has now taken over 2 of them moving under the path and concrete blocks. I now grow it in pallet boxes with the idea that I will drop the side to remove the roots for selling. I does make a great show and dies down quickly after flowering so if you plant it amongst things that have finished flowering at this time and can cope with a month or so of smothering it should be okay.
Susan

Susan, thanks for the information. The deep roots aren't a problem it's the running everywhere that might prove difficult. I will have to continue to think about it.

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Only a few flowers but how marvellous...

[meanie]

Mark - in my experience it is too late for the Canary Creeper. Bit of a pain as I found some seeds that I forgot to plant......

I grew it last year with the best results I've ever had - it didn't do well at my old house. But it was taken out in two days by the flea beetles in the second photo (which touched nothing else in the garden).

My Grampy used to grow Tropaeolums with his broad beans as a sacrificial offering!

[Lesley Cox]

Those look really horrid Meanie, and I've not seen anything like them here. Is there a remedy? Maybe a systemic insecticide BEFORE the act?

[meanie]

Those look really horrid Meanie, and I've not seen anything like them here. Is there a remedy? Maybe a systemic insecticide BEFORE the act?

It was my first encounter with them too! The whole plant (2m by 2m) was engulfed, yet the Eccromocarpus scaber which it was growing into was untouched. They finished this off and left. Many remedies, neem oil being the most oft talked about, along with trap planting - it would seem that my Canary creeper was the ideal trap plant!
Late season eggs will lay dormant in the soil over the winter, maybe not hatching until early summer. The larvae then feed on the plants roots, so a double whammy all round.
After reading up on it (this is the page that I chose to bookmark     http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-flea-beetles.htm    ) I discovered that the allotments a quarter of a mile away had suffered plague like infestations.

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

I cant grow it either yet it's a week in Bob Gordons garden. Maybe I'll ask for some to try again

Is it too late to sow canary creeper Tropaeolum peregrinum ? I would like one or two to go up a birch tree in my garden

Hi Mark,
I do not  totally agree with Meanie. Of course Tr PEREGRINUM is better sown in spring but it can germinate and grow even if sown later: I think the dead end for sowing would be the last days of June. This is a quick grower and if well exposed can flower circa September / October. You'll have less flowers if winter comes early but it is worth trying.

J-P