Pandorea jasminoïdes Variegata - Bower Vine

The Pandorea jasminoides 'Variegata' is an exquisite variegated leaf form of the False Jasmine Vine, a magnificent but frost-sensitive climbing plant. It is an Australian cousin of our trumpet vines, whose long flowering period is enhanced by lush cream-splashed foliage. It blooms generously, displaying beautiful clusters of funnel-shaped flowers in white pink-with a purple-pink throat. While it has minimal cold resistance, this climber thrives in any fertile and well-drained soil as long as it is provided with the sunlight it needs to flower well. In cooler climates, it makes a superb terrace plant, as it can be easily grown in containers and stored in winter.

The Pandorea jasmin is a species in the Bignoniaceae family. It is native to Southeast Australia, specifically the relatively dry sclerophyll forests, which are found in the region governed by a humid tropical climate. It is a climber with a woody base and powerful rambling branches, lacking attachment systems, which spontaneously wrap around a support. The "Variegata" form is slightly less vigorous than the type. It grows quickly, reaching 5 to 6 metres (16 to 20 feet) in all directions in good conditions in open ground. In a container, its development will be much more modest. The vegetation is destroyed at -0°C (32°F), but a well-established base protected by a thick mulch can survive short frosts of around -5°C (23°F): it is a plant suitable for open ground cultivation in zones 9b, 10, and beyond.

Pandorea jasminoides 'Variegata' flowering takes place from May to June to September. The flowers bloom at the ends of the year's shoots and in the axils of the leaves, grouped in ramified clusters. They have widely flared trumpet-shaped flowers, 6-8 cm (2-3in) long and wide. Each flower is composed of a tube that widens into five rounded and undulated lobes. They are slightly pinkish-white, enhanced by a dark purple-pink throat. This somewhat fragrant flowering is nectar-rich and attractive to bees and bumblebees. The foliage persists in winter in suitable climates. It consists of leaves divided into 5-7 large ovate to lanceolate leaflets with smooth edges, randomly mottled with pale yellow to cream on a green background. In case of frost, all above-ground parts of the plant are destroyed. But it will regrow from the base late in spring.

The Pandorea jasminoides 'Variegata' deserves a prominent place on the most sheltered facade of the house or, better yet, in a large pot on the terrace during the summer. It can be used in many ways in a garden with a very mild climate, to cover a pergola, a tree that is a bit bare in autumn or winter, to hide an unsightly building or a south-facing facade. This exotic plant needs to be fully protected from frost during the first years of cultivation. That is one of its only requirements, as it grows enthusiastically in any deep and adequately prepared soil without excessive limestone. In the South of France, occasional watering is necessary to support flowering. For example, combine it with pink trumpet vine (Podranea ricasoliana) or Hardenbergia violacea, whose flowering periods are staggered.