Rangoon creeper (Combretum indicum) is a flowering vine with color-changing blooms that is both ornamental and medicinal
Rangoon creeper is a climbing shrub of the family Combretaceae, fairly common in the warm regions of southern China and widely known for its fruit, which can be used as medicine. It has quite a few alternative names, with Liuqiuzi, Shijunzi and Wulengzi being common folk names; legend has it that the name is connected to ancient physicians who used its fruit to treat children for intestinal worms.
The most attractive feature of this plant is its flowers. It blooms mostly in summer and autumn, with the flowers opening in clusters; they are whitish when they first open, then gradually turn pink and even deep red, and a single flower cluster often displays several colors at once, along with a delicate fragrance. Its vines are strong climbers, making it suitable for trellises, walls, flower corridors and hedges as vertical greenery.
For care, Rangoon creeper prefers warmth, humidity and plenty of light, is not cold-tolerant, and does best in well-drained, fertile soil. When planting, it is best to set up a support for it to climb on, keep up the water supply during the growing season, and prune spent branches appropriately after flowering to encourage new growth and blooming the following year; it is commonly propagated by cuttings, layering or sowing.
Its value lies mainly in two areas: first, ornamental, as its changeable flower colors and fairly long bloom period make it a great choice for three-dimensional greenery in southern gardens; second, medicinal, as the dried mature fruit is a traditional Chinese medicine often used to expel parasites and relieve indigestion, but it should be used under a doctor's guidance and not taken in excess. Note also that Rangoon creeper and the common potted kaffir lily (Clivia miniata) are not the same kind of plant; the kaffir lily is a herbaceous plant of the family Amaryllidaceae. Their names are similar, but their form and habits differ greatly, so do not confuse them when buying and planting.
