How do you grow garlic vine (Bignoniaceae) and when does it bloom? What value does it have?

Garlic vine is also known as Tecoma, purple bell vine, and Tecoma stans. So how do you grow garlic vine, when does it bloom, and what value does it have? According to available information, garlic vine likes a warm environment and prefers plenty of light, and during cultivation you need to ensure sufficient water and fertilizer. The suitable temperature for garlic vine growth is 18°C——35°C, and in winter it must be kept no lower than 5°C.

I. How do you grow garlic vine?

Pot and soil selection

For growing garlic vine at home, you can place it on a sunny balcony, either as a potted climber or directly as a hanging plant, and you need to choose a suitable flower pot or hanging basket. For the soil, you can choose a loose, fertile, slightly acidic soil, mix and prepare it with garden soil, peat soil, and so on, and apply some decomposed base fertilizer.

Light and temperature

Growing garlic vine requires sufficient light and a warm climate. Maintain sufficient light, with full sun being best. If there is insufficient light during care, it will affect flowering, causing sparse flowering or no flowering at all. The temperature should be kept at a relatively high level. Garlic vine is not cold tolerant, and the suitable temperature for growth is between 21°C and 28°C. It grows vigorously in spring, summer, and autumn, while low winter temperatures will stop its growth. The overwintering temperature in winter needs to be kept above 5°C; below this temperature, cold damage may occur.

Watering and fertilizing

In terms of water and fertilizer management, watering needs to be carried out according to changes in the environment. In summer, growth is vigorous, and because temperatures are high and evaporation is great, it needs frequent watering, and you can water once a day. In winter, when temperatures are low, growth stops, so watering should be reduced, and you can water once every 3-4 days. When fertilizing, you can choose natural organic fertilizer, apply some base fertilizer when planting, and afterward use a compound fertilizer rich in elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium once a month.

Notes:

Pruning

Garlic vine is a vine plant with strong climbing ability. During growth, because it grows freely, its branches and stems become relatively messy, so you can prune and shape it after flowering each spring.

Propagation

Garlic vine propagation uses seed propagation, cutting propagation, and layering propagation. You can choose a suitable propagation method to produce new plants.

Pests and diseases

Garlic vine itself has the smell of garlic, which insects relatively dislike, so when growing garlic vine, pests and diseases are rarely found.

II. When does it bloom?

1. The blooming time of garlic vine

The flowering period of garlic vine is actually relatively long; it can in fact bloom multiple times a year.

The blooming time of garlic vine is mainly from spring to autumn, but the peak flowering periods are the two stages of spring and autumn. In some areas with relatively high temperatures, it may bloom in all four seasons, only with a relatively small amount of flowers.

Generally, a single garlic vine flower can remain in bloom for about 5——7 days.

2. The blooming mechanism of garlic vine

When garlic vine blooms, the flowers are purple and very beautiful.

The flowers of garlic vine are mostly axillary, in cyme inflorescences, and when blooming the flowers somewhat resemble trumpets. The flowers also have the smell of garlic. In fact, the flowers of garlic vine change color when they bloom. Although they are generally purple, the color change is still quite obvious. In the early stage of blooming, garlic vine opens purple flowers, then gradually turns pink, then changes from pink to white, until the flowers fall.

3. Notes on garlic vine blooming

When garlic vine blooms, it should be noted that on the plant, old plants generally bloom more and more densely.

When growing garlic vine, sufficient light should be maintained, preferably full sun, otherwise flowering will be sparse. Second, after flowering in spring, branch training should be carried out to maintain a good plant shape.

III. What value does it have?

1. The ornamental value of garlic vine

The ornamental value of garlic vine can be said to be known to everyone. The flower color of garlic vine presents an elegant and charming light purple. When the flowers are in full bloom, they give off a fresh and elegant fragrance. Planting it in your own small courtyard gives a special charm. In addition, it can also be placed in garden landscapes. The cost is relatively low, and it is very suitable for planting. While decorating the beautiful scenery of the garden, it also makes good use of the garden's open space. In addition, garlic vine has relatively strong vitality, which further lays a certain foundation for its contribution to gardens.

2. The health-preserving and healthcare functions of garlic vine

When garlic vine blooms, it gives off a fresh and elegant fragrance. Some people say this fragrance is a kind of garlic scent. Not only the flowers, but even the leaves of garlic vine also give off this smell. If you gently rub the flowers and leaves of garlic vine, the fragrance of garlic vine becomes even stronger. Research shows that this fragrance contains a chemical substance beneficial to the human body, a type of allyl sulfide. This substance not only has antioxidant effects but also has a certain anti-aging effect. In addition, this substance can prevent the deposition of gastric cancer substances inside the human body, greatly reducing the incidence of gastric cancer, and playing a certain role in health preservation and healthcare.

3. The medicinal value of garlic vine

Basically, all plants have a certain medicinal value, and for garlic vine, not only can the roots and stems be used as medicine, but even the leaves contain a large amount of important medicinal elements. After being used as medicine, garlic vine has a good therapeutic effect on respiratory diseases and colds, and has a good preventive and inhibitory effect on diseases such as cancer.