Cobea scandens Violet Blue Bells Seeds

Cobaea scandens Violet Blue Bells, also called cup and saucer vine, is a vigorous twining climber with much retro charm. This spectacular variety bears delightful, greenish-yellow bell-shaped blooms with rolled-up edges that mature to purple, and that are nestled in its lush, deep green foliage from summer to autumn. It climbs frames by means of long, branched tendrils like those of peas. This tender perennial is typically grown as an annual in our climates, in a well-exposed position, in rich, moist but well-drained soil. It will rapidly and beautifully cover any frame that you will leave at its disposal. It also grows well in containers.

Native to the tropical and subtropical regions of both Americas, particularly to central Mexico, the cup and saucer vine is a fast-growing herbaceous perennial vine belonging to the family Polemoniaceae, which is grown as an annual in our cooler climates. It reaches a height of 3 m and a width of about 1 m in the space of one season. Its slender stems bear dense, dark green, evergreen foliage. The leaves are composed of 3 pairs of 10 cm long, veined leaflets. The terminal leaflet transforms into a forked tendril which allows the plant to cling onto anything. Flowering starts in August, rarely earlier, and continues throughout autumn, right up until the first cold spells. Campanulate blooms appear in the axils of the leaves, measuring 7-8 cm long, and feature edges that turn or roll up. These flowers start out greenish-yellow before turning blue and then purple as they bloom, revealing a bouquet of yellow stamens in a purple streaked throat. They give off a scent when young, especially in the evening. The blooms are followed by the formation of an ovoid fruit containing the seeds.

Cup and saucer vine is a great choice for quickly covering a trellis, arbour, or different types of fencing. But its old-fashioned charm makes it even more valuable asset for covering a wall of old stones, an old well, or the low walls of a terraced garden from which it will gracefully tumble down. It excels among the September bloomers, just as the summer bloomers fade and the softer light of the end of season plays and passes through its bells. Plant the variety Violet Blue Bells with the variety Alba and train them on the same frame: their colours harmonize perfectly together. Plant blue, pink and white asters and hardy chrysanthemum at their base to create a very romantic scene.