Quisqualis indica Burma creeper, Chinese honeysuckle, Rangoon creeper
The flowers are born in clusters and each flower has many variations of color, depending on how old the flower
is. Over about a 3 day period the flower starts out white,
turns solid pink then dark pink and purplish red, then
bright red on maturity. The picture below right shows different stages of
the flowers.
The name is from the Latin quis, "who", and
qualis, "what". This name was given by the early botanist Rumphius as an expression of his surprise at the variability of the plant’s growth and flower
color.
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Click
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Common
Name: Burma creeper, Chinese honeysuckle, Rangoon creeper
Botanical
Name: Quisqualis indica
Family:
Combretaceae
Plant
Type: Evergreen,
branching climber
Origin:
Tropical Africa, South Africa, Indonesia and
Malaysia
Zones:
9 - 11
Height:
10' - 40' or more
Rate
of Growth: Quick
Salt
Tolerance: Medium
Soil
Requirements: Rich,
moist, well-drained soil
Water
Requirements: Water
freely during growing season,
less water in winter
Nutritional
Requirements: Balanced
liquid fertilizer monthly
Light
Requirements: Full
sun with some mid-day shade
Form:
Freely branching perennial climber -- give it a
sturdy arch, wall or fence to climb. Plant is shrubby in youth from a seed becoming a climbing vine as it ages or from the
beginning with cutting propagated stock.
Leaves:
Mid to deep-green to 8" long
Flowers:
In Summer bears slender-tubed, fragrant
flowers, 1.5 - 3" long with 5 spreading lobes, in
pendent, terminal racemes, 4" long, initially
white, they change to pink, purplish red, then bright
red over a 3 day period.
Fruits:
Small dry drupe-like seed
with five angles and five wings
Pests:
Aphids, scale insects and
caterpillars
Uses:
Lush rapidly growing lustrous green foliage with pendent clusters of pink or red
flowers throughout much of the growing season; nighttime fragrance.
Large patio container or conservatory plant; works well on arbors, trellises, pillars, arches,
sturdy fences and pergolas or as an espalier.
Bad
Habits: Rangoon Creeper's
vigorous growth can get quite out-of-hand on fertile sites.
Winter die-back can be expected in colder parts of its
range.
Cost:
$$ -- reasonable
Propagation:
Seeds and cuttings
Source:
 A-Z
Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
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