Skyblue Clustervine

One of my favorite creepers, the Skyblue Clustervine with its bell-shaped and white throated flowers is an absolute delight to look at.

little blue flower creeper

The Skyblue Clustervine is native to Tropical America and it grows freely and wildly in India and many other tropical countries. It is a popular choice for covering hedges, trellises etc.

The leaves are small shiny and are placed alternately on thin and slender stems. The plant belongs to the Convolvulaceae Family same as that of the ‘Morning Glory’. The flowers are not as big as other flowers of the same family but they are beautiful nonetheless. Flowers bloom in the day and close by evening.  The plant can be grown in full sun or partial sun spaces.  The stems are quite delicate and break easily so proper support should be given to the plant. Dead stems and leaves should be removed to encourage growth.

A sure head turner in my garden, the delicate Capri blue flowers set off beautifully against a white picket fence background. Its a bonus that they need minimal care and spread quite readily. It is the perfect plant for covering ugly corners and wires.little blue flower vine

The flowers and the plant as delicate as it seems is hardy as ever. One has to just give the plant some space and a path to creep on and it does its job quite sincerely. It is a fast growing perennial and requires moderate watering and well-drained soil.  One has to trim the plant regularly or it can grow all over the place. The creeper usually is covered with blue flowers especially after the rains. It is propagated by cuttings of the plants or by layering. It attracts butterflies and moths and can be a source of color in your garden.

The creeper can be grown from bottom to top or can be planted on a balcony/terrace and let to fall from top to bottom creating that perfect Romeo-Juliet balcony  :)

Botanical name: Jacquemontia pentanthos

Family: Convolvulaceae

Common name: Skyblue Clustervine, Pentantha

Synonyms: Jacquemontia violacea, Jacquemontia pentanth

river14pacific@gmail.com'
May 9, 2018

I have to agree one of my all time favourites. I discovered it in my hotel grounds in Bangalore in India. Even though the flowers are small they are produced in abundance so even from a distance you can see the mass of bright blue. They had it growing on the tennis court fencing where it was very happy and not at all messy. I failed to successfully take cuttings of that plant in India, took too long to get them home. Then I ordered the tiny seed on line from America but not one came up. I found one at last for sale in Sri Lanka and it’s doing beautifully so Im over the moon. It hasn’t taken over but remained quite an elegant thing. Only been a year so maybe it will get a bit more feisty which I don’t mind at all. It wasn’t at all promising at start just a tiny grow bag of soggy clay with a few sticks poking out. Once in the ground it flourished, though. Now I want it everywhere. So Im going to try cuttings, hopefully that will work in the rainy season. The stems are so skinny wiry and brittle I wasn’t sure that would work so thanks for heads up. Your idea of a curtain sounds magical, Im going to have to try that. Do you know how it takes to pruning? Obviously not in the flowering season but could I keep it contained in pot as a spiller for example? Thanks for the write up of this wonderful plant.

You must be logged in to post a comment.