Family: Fabaceae
A perennial woody vine. A member of the pea family, striking blue-green flowers hang down in bunches. Native to the river banks and ravines of the lowland rainforest in the Philippines, the jade vine is endangered in the wild. Unsustainable development has resulted in little to no native habitat.
In the forest, jade grows to the top of the canopy, where it enjoys full sun while the flowers hang below in the shade.mFor best results, try to mimic jades’ natural growing conditions. Jade does best in full sun with rich, organic growing medium. To fully appreciate the pendulous flowers, jade needs strong support 6 to 10 feet tall. Protect it from salt spray and wind.
Reproduction by air layer, cuttings and/or seeds. Roots will appear within a month after air layering. Cuttings dipped in rooting hormone will also take a month. Seeds don’t store well, plant them fresh. The vine will put on a glorious display of hanging flowers in three years.
The jade vine was first imported to Hawai’i by the Allerton’s of Kauai in 1950. It became a sought-after botanical prize in 1956 when Betty Low Ho won the Lei Day Contest. Today jade is popular for lei making. The bright flowers tend to stain clothing, be careful when presenting a lei to someone wearing white.
Plant Uses:
- Fragrant
- Lei flower
- Ornamental
Plant Dangers:
- No dangers
