BEAUMONTIA GRANDIFLORA

Image credit - Tatiana Gerus

Beaumontia grandiflora is just one species within a small genus of evergreen. woody vines native to the East Indies and Asia. This genus consists of 9 species of often rampant climbers and vines, and belongs to the Oleander family - Apocynaceae. Its natural habitat ranges from Nepal and South-east Tibet and Yunnan south through Assam, Burma (now Myanmar) and South-east Asia.

Beaumontia grandiflora was first extensively described by the Danish-English botanist Nathaniel Wallich (1786-1854,) who also became Superintendent of the Caluctta Gardens from 1817-1846.

He named Beaumontia grandiflora after Diana Beaumont (1765-1831) of Bretton Hall, Yorkshire, and introduced it to England with the aid of Captain Edmund Buchan Craigie (1784-1874) who often supplied him with plants from the East.

Commonly known as the Nepal trumpet flower, or the Easter lily, Beaumontia grandiflora is a vigorous evergreen climber. Its glossy green leaves can be a long as 9 inches and new growth is protected from the cold by attractive brownish hairs.

In late spring to early autumn the large, highly fragrant, trumpet-shaped white flowers are borne on terminal clusters.

Beaumontia grandiflora is usually found growing in scrub, over rocks or up trees in forests from 1,000 to 5,000 feet in elevation. While it is considered to be a tropical plant, is known to grow well in subtropical or southern Mediterranean climates. This is because Beaumontia grandiflora has evolved to cope with an alpine environment making it is surprisingly hardy. In fact it is able to tolerate temperatures as low as to 28 degrees Fahrenheit -3 degrees Celsius with relatively little damage!

Image credit - http://www.photomazza.com/

While Beaumontia grandiflora is a true evergreen it can become semi-deciduous in colder years. While it will grow in colder environments, it may not flower if it does not receive enough heat or light. In this instance it may be possible to encourage flowering by applying a high-potash fertilizer during the summer, but take care not to over-fertilize as this can damage the root system.

Plant Beaumontia grandiflora in full sun wherever possible or light shade in tropical climates. It prefers a rich soil and will require plenty of water over the growing season. Be aware though that it dislikes heavy, wet soil in winter and can suffer severe root damage if kept water-logged over this period.

Pruning isn't really necessary, but if the plant gets too large you may have no choice. Beaumontia grandiflora will flower on new seasons wood so always prune immediately after flowering.

Tatiana Gerus file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

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