The Twisters and Mounters

They slither… they shuffle from the heavens… they crawl about… they try to reach the sky… I’m sure you already guessed about whom I’m talking. Yes, it’s the every gardener’s favorite creepers and climbers. My love for plants began with them. If you had read my very first post, it was the Betel Creeper that initially got me started and then I wanted to have creepers, creepers and only them, but due to the lack of enough space, I had to restrict myself with a few. But someday, when I own a large space I’d fill it with almost all creepers that I get my hands on! That’s my dream!

Anyways, coming back to reality, this is the first ever creeper that I grew from the seed. Remember Mrs. and Mr. Jequirity? Well, they've grown really tall and are trying to reach the sky.Turning and twisting around each other they make a wonderful sight now.They look so delicate, elegant, and are a loving pair!

Abrus Precatorius - Gunja (Sanskrit) - Jequirity

The climbing Purple Allamanda joined the team next. He’d go up, up, and up but would never flower and one fine day with the arrival of Autumn, he surprised me with a lipstick like bud, which grew, grew, and grew and ever since he’s been flowering almost continuously.

Allamanda violacea - Purple Allamanda

To accompany him, came the glorious Morning glory from heavens. She shuffled down, delicately twisting herself around anything that touches her.

Ipomoea nil - Kalanjani (Sanskrit) - Blue Morning Glory

I almost forgot about this handsome and slithering hunk. He was sold to me in the name – Celosia. And that too by someone learned in Botany! I looked at the Bill she gave me thinking she might have spelled it wrong, but no she spelled it clearly as CELOSIA! I wasn’t an expert (nor am now) at identifying plants, but I was good enough to know that Celosia’s leaves don’t look like this and moreover they don’t climb! I saw this vine climbing and twisting about in the nursery’s arch and asked her for it, attracted by it’s beautiful orange flowers.

I waited… waited… and waited… Hoping he’d flower someday and yes, he did… And he turned out to be a pleasant SURPRISE in capitals! He was none other than the great Mr Senecio confusus (Now I see where the name Celosia came from, but it was still too much a mistake coming from a Botanist) – Mexican flame vine.

He’d slither about everywhere, flowering profusely…

His flowers initially look yellow and darken to red in a few days.

Senecio confusus - Mexican Flame Vine

Since this not being a native Indian plant, I'd like to name him Agnikana (Spark of fire)

And the most deserving member of this Vine family is Butterfly Pea! I thought I planted the couple yesterday and lo and behold! The very next day they seemed to start flowering (actually it hardly took them two weeks to start flowering). That too the lady white would flower crazily, some of her creations being extra large! Mr Blue wasn’t all that active, but he was no flop, all the same!

Clitoria ternatea - Aparajita (Sanskrit) - Butterfly Pea

I plant to train the lady white into some shape…Clitoria ternata 'Alba' - White Butterfly Pea

How shall I do it? You got any ideas?