Description
Periploca – Silk Vine –
There are 11 species of deciduous or evergreen shrubs and climbers in the Apocynaceae family, in this genus. They occur in woodland, in thickets, and on riverbanks in the Mediterranean, tropical Africa and Eastern Asia. They are grown for their attractive, oval to lance shaped, 1-3″ long leaves, held in opposite pairs. It bears small, star shaped flowers held in terminal or axillary corymbs or cymes. Train P. graeca, the most commonly grown species, on wires against a wall, or grow over a pergola , trellis, or similar support. The fruits and sap may cause stomach upset if ingested.
Grow in any well drained soil in a warm, sheltered site in full sun or part shade.
P. graeca – This twining, deciduous climber from Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia reaches height of 28′ feet high. It produces ovate, glossy, dark green leaves, to 4″ long. In mid and late summer it bears star shaped, unpleasantly scented, 5 lobed flowers, 1″ across, greenish yellow outside and purple brown inside, in long stalked corymbs of up to 12. Flowers are followed by slender seed pods, to 5″ long, which open top release silky-tufted seeds.
Zones 6-8
