| Last fall I saw cardinal climber at the OBGA in Stillwater. I ordered the seeds and planted them this spring. I have vines but no flowers, will the plants survive the winter or do I need to get more seeds for next year? |
| Ipomoea quamoclit (Cardinal Climber) is a summer annual that grows to 20 feet and produces scarlet colored flowers that flare at the mouth into five-pointed stars. It's a spectacular plant in bloom, and grows quickly when seeds are planted in rich, well-draining soil, in full sunshine. The plants will self-sow, and new little plants will grow the following spring. You may want to purchase new seeds for next year if your plant doesn't flower; if it does, the seeds should fall on the ground and sprout on their own next spring. To encourage flowering, make sure you plant in full sunshine and water infrequently. (Too much water results in luxuriant top growth, at the expense of flowers.) |
