Cobaea scandens

Also Known As

Cathedral Bells
Cup and Saucer Vine
Mexican Ivy

Plant type

perennial, vine

size

H: 10'-25'
W: 10'-25'

planting zones

9a-12

More Options

Cobaea scandens plant details

Cobaea scandens is a fast-growing broadleaf evergreen perennial vine with green foliage. In summer cream and purple flowers emerge. Attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - mostly shade and even moisture - regular water. Does well in average, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant and humidity tolerant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Cobaea scandens

Plant type: perennial vine
Plant family: polemoniaceae
Foliage: evergreen green
Mature size: 10 FT - 25 FT - wide, 10 FT - 25 FT - tall
Flowers: cream and purple blooms in summer
Uses: cutting garden, fragrant, long-blooming, trellis

GROWING CONDITIONS for Cobaea scandens

USDA Zones: 9a - 12
Sun exposure: sun - mostly shade
Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
Resistant to: heat and humidity
Soil needs: average, rich and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Gorgeous sub-tropical vine grown in most areas as a seasonal annual; rapid growing, tendrilling stems can each 10 or even 20’ in a single season! Attractive pinnate leaves on dark stems are a nice background for the large 2”, fragrant ‘cup’ flowers that emerge green and mature to purple mid-summer into fall. Easy to grow in average, well drained soils with regular water in full sun (afternoon shade in hot summer areas). Needs a structure to climb on. An heirloom favorite since Victorian times. Hummer favorite. Will grow in pots, try a bamboo pole, bean teepee structure!

By: Secret Garden Growers

Also known as Cathedral Bells, Cup and Saucer Vine has large, 2" bell-shaped flowers that sit inside the saucer-like calyx. The flowers emerge whitish-green and age to a lavender color. Although a perennial vine, it is often grown as an annual in northern zones. It loves to ramble on a fence or lattice and flowers easily during the first summer. You can almost see this vigorous climber grow during the warm days of summer.

By: Logee's Plants for Home & Garden

Conjuring an Alice in Wonderland adventure, this impressive fast growing climber sprouts deep green pinnate leaflets, tendrils galore and an eye-catching bonanza of inky purple-colored Campanula-like bells with a musky scent, shapely stamens and ruffled green bracts. The tender hummingbirdfriendly Cup and Saucer Vine hails from Mexico and tropical South America, so it naturally works best as a quick-cover annual or container specimen in cold climates and a stand-alone evergreen in warmer ones. Wondrous even to Charles Darwin, who included it in his 1875 book about climbing plants, Cobaea scandens' floriferous display relishes moist free draining soil and still entrances garden visitors today. Large band.

By: Digging Dog Nursery

Known as Mexican climbing cobaea when it was introduced in 1792, the development of the flowers is a show unto itself. They start out as green, five-cornered, papery buds, then open to reveal the green saucer and bell-shaped flower. The pale green flower becomes striped with violet, finally changing to deep purple before dropping off. The foliage and tendrils are shaded with violet and are beautiful from spring to late fall freezes.

By: Select Seeds

Cup and Saucer Vine is a vigorous grower with unique blooms forming a purple cup and greenish white saucer. This tender perennial is often grown as an annual and can bloom all summer and into fall. Mexico.

By: Brushwood Nursery

Cup and Saucer Vine. Radical vine which will overwinter in mild gardens here. Vigorous grower which clamber happily over that huge shapeless Rhododendron in the summer displaying large 2" greenish white flowers ageing purple. The foliage gets purple tints. Blooms all summer.

By: Far Reaches Farm

Large storybook blooms almost year around! Incredibly fast growing Mexican native, “Cup and Saucer Vine” will cover a 25’ chain link fence in one season! Climbs by tendrils borne at the ends of its leaves. Fantastical, 3.5” flaring purple bells sporting long sexy stamens create a massive bloom display that’ll be much admired by neighbors. Attractive, deep green, heart-shaped foliage. Give it room to grow, rich soil and stand back! Hummers will swarm! Cut back in Winter for bushiest appearance next year.