Re: Question


All three plants can be grown in a Mediterranean climate, although the Quisqaulis definitely prefers year round or at least summer heat to bloom well, and the Aloysia gratissima being native to the southwestern USA would also seem to prefer desert heat,(I have only seen Aloysia triphylla locally here in the SF Bay Area, which while it has great foliage fragrance, is a rather scraggly looking awkward large shrub/small tree that would never win any awards for being beautiful).  I've seen Quisqaulis for sale in southern California, but doubt if it even blooms directly on the coast, and is not hardy enough to survive winters outdoors in hot summer locations of northern California.  I've seen it thriving in places like Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia(tropical) and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia(subtropical desert), where the desert can sometimes have short freezes, but warm up again significantly during the day, allowing it to remain an evergreen perennial in most years.  I've
 seen it used to climb up building columns over 50 feet tall. 

Vigna caracalla should be less demanding of heat to bloom well, and is a common enough vine sold at mass market stores such as Home Depot all across the country.  I've never used it in a garden design, as I feel the floral display, while interesting up close, gives little color when viewed from a distance; there are other more colorful vines for use in California conditions.  It is fragrant while in bloom, and frost will kill the top growth, but it comes back from the roots if it doesn't get too cold, as it  is rated as hardy for intermediate desert elevations of Arizona and southern California, which do freeze in winter.  
--- On Sat, 7/18/09, Mario Brincat <mario.brincat@onvol.net> wrote:


> Anybody here has any experience with quisqualis indica,
> vigna
> caracalla, aloysia gratissima?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Mario.
> 
>  
> 
>
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