Azeleas and passion flower vines
It seems that passion flower vines have taken over my azeleas. Although I like the passion flowers and the butterflies they bring I do not like the way they have covered my azeleas. Is there any way to control this? I have pulled the vines and they seem to thrive on this and come back even more abundantly. Is there a spray I can use that will control the growth of the vines and not harm my azeleas? Thanks!
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opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
I would give your passion flowers a hard pruning and train them to grow in the opposite direction to your azales. Another option would be to move your passion flowers. But, pruning and training should probably do the trick.
I'm a huge fan of passion flowers. Did you know that they are edible?
Also, Passion flowers are what are termed "primitive" flowers because in order to be pollinated, the insect needs to literally walk around in the flower which, consequently destroys the flower. (Though, I'm not fan of the word "primitive" let us just called them different.)
Oh and no, we don't recommend sprays and other such synthetics for inhibition of growth. Pruning would be your best bet.
If there were such a spray out there ( and I don't think there is) it would most likely inhibit the growth of your Azaleas as well. Not to mention that if it were to drift in the wind, it would inhibit the growth of other plants.
Anyway, happy gardening.
I'm a huge fan of passion flowers. Did you know that they are edible?
Also, Passion flowers are what are termed "primitive" flowers because in order to be pollinated, the insect needs to literally walk around in the flower which, consequently destroys the flower. (Though, I'm not fan of the word "primitive" let us just called them different.)
Oh and no, we don't recommend sprays and other such synthetics for inhibition of growth. Pruning would be your best bet.
If there were such a spray out there ( and I don't think there is) it would most likely inhibit the growth of your Azaleas as well. Not to mention that if it were to drift in the wind, it would inhibit the growth of other plants.
Anyway, happy gardening.
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opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
Hey Scott! The actual flower is the edible part. Really nice in salads or placed in a bowl of home made lemonade. YUM!
Prepare it? Well, I would cut the flower off the vine, wash it thoroughly to remove any insects or dirt, pat dry and well, eat!
A really cool thing to do with home made lemonade is to freeze the flowers into a portion of the lemonade and then place the large frozen part in a punch bowl with the unfrozen lemonade surrounding the ice/flower part.
Prepare it? Well, I would cut the flower off the vine, wash it thoroughly to remove any insects or dirt, pat dry and well, eat!
A really cool thing to do with home made lemonade is to freeze the flowers into a portion of the lemonade and then place the large frozen part in a punch bowl with the unfrozen lemonade surrounding the ice/flower part.