lead: Lend colour with climbers
Winter blooming climbers are the most economical way to add colour at unreachable places
Amarjeet Batth
As the winters intensify, colour diminishes and dullness starts pouring in the garden. Chrysanthemum splendorous bloom is also taken by the fog and overcast days. There are few early flowering winter annuals but the colour spread is confined to the ground level. It is imperative to add winter blooming climbers to keep the colour vibrancy alive. Climbers trailing habit can reach to greater heights and shapes to make thing more interesting. Climbers are the most economical way to add colour at unreachable places with many utilities.
Pyrostegia venusta
Commonly known as ‘Golden Shower,’ it is a vigorously growing climber in the tropical and subtropical region. It requires a sunny location to have a good bloom. The stem is woody with cascade of reddish-orange flowers, which forms dense masses. It climbs by clinging with its tendrils over the trees and shrubs on walls over structures and form a colourful veneer. Be careful that it does not over run the nearby trees or shrubs which over a period of time may crumble under the climber’s weight. The dense flower cluster hangs down under its own weight. Climbers that are not well managed bloom only on the top but flowers can bloom by regular trimming a fraction of the stem close to the ground. Its flowers also attract Humming Birds and butterflies.
Clerodendrumsplendens
It is a woody to semi-woody, evergreen, twining climber which grows lavishly in a sunny location and even survives at a shady place with reduced flowering. It requires well-drained soil and deep irrigation in summers. It makes excellent bower over a gazebo on low room roof or on porch, at window projections, pillar and on a wall. The dark green oval shaped leaves with glossy, coarse textured and deeply veined add true charm in the garden. The crimson flowers are borne in dense terminal clusters. Flowers attract, humming birds and butterflies.
A dose of manure after the rainy season in September, followed by N-P-K (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) in October and another dose in November, keeps the climber well nourished for its winter bloom. Dead or diseased plant parts can be removed any time of the year but hard pruning must be done just after the rains. Propagation is done during the rainy season by separating the root suckers and through air or ground layering. Be watchful of the leaf spot problem, besides aphids, mealy bugs and spider mites.
Quisqualis indica
The fast growing climber has dense foliage and profuse flowering. Flowers of this climber appear in clusters and resemble a woman’s ear rings, thereby its local name as ‘Jhumka Bel ’. It is also calledRangoon creeperandis a ligneous which is grown as ornamental climber that creeps up to 8 meters. Flourishing at a sunny location in a well drained soil, this climber spreads rapidly with root suckers and gives continuous flowering round the year. For the climber to spread, it needs good support system. The flowers are highly scented and change colour from white to pink to red. It flowers almost round the year and shows vigorous growth in summers and rainy season, however in winters the flowering is reduced. It requires once a week irrigation in summers but reduce watering in winter. To maintain the climber in the desired form, it can be pruned in early winter. Manure once in December and July-Aug. Avoid excessive nitrogenous fertilisers as these only add to foliage. It starts flowering as the temperature improves in winters in early February. The plant has medicinal value also.
