"Jon Connell" wrote in message
ups.com...
Does anyone have a success story growing lapageria rosea in
Cambridgeshire (or similar climate)? I have a north-facing (well, more
north-east really) wall that is reasonably sheltered to the east and
west, but would get the full brunt of any northerly winds. I expect
that the house casts a rainshadow, but the waterbutt sits just around
the corner, so I can easily irrigate it. Am I going to get away with
it?

Well I grow it here in Cambridge (well just outside now). I've two of them,
raised from seed years ago. I've always grown them in pots, in ericaceous
compost, but outside (apart from their early seedling life). Indeed they
don't seem keen on sun, and the new growth wilts of there is much sign of
any.

You'll know they have this reputation for being 'difficult'. I've attempted
many 'difficult' plants, and in most cases they die just like everyone else
finds, but in a couple of cases (the Lapageria, and the other being Aloe
polyphylla) I've had no problems.

I sometimes think that I ought to grow some more - perhaps to get better
colour shades, though I can't imagine wanting the white one - surely the
'pink' (there must be a better word for it) shade is the main point of
Lapageria!

Good luck if you give it a go.