Climbers and runners
Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2014 10:05 am
I have never looked very closely at climbers before as they were always at the back of the border and did what they wanted. But I have taken more interest now that I have several growing inside.
Am I right in assuming that they have two quite separate types of growth - climbing stems and running stems? I have been tying all the stems up to wires and only recently realised that some of the stems going across my roof are in fact runners, which make no attempt to attach themselves to anything.
I have noticed this in particular with a lovely Ipomea indica that I had from Charlie earlier this year, but I assume the principle is the same with most climbers. I am amazed at the vigorousness of the Ipomea, the climbing stems are now 10 feet or more, and one of the runners is over 20 feet.
I assume that the purpose of runners is purely for propagation, so they will never produce flowers - at least until they set down roots and produce a new climbing stem. So I also assume that I should remove them as soon as I see them - is that right?
It appears from Googling that I. indica rarely produces seed. I understand that this is because it can't be fertilised with its own (or its clone's) pollen. So you need two unrelated plants to produce seed, but as propagation is primarily vegetative most plants in the UK may well be clones of each other.
I. indica is described as the perennial Ipomea. Are any of the cultivars that you can buy from seed, such as 'Heavenly Blue', perennial? Many plants and seeds are so badly described, with true perennials being described as annuals, and tender plants described as being hardy, that it is difficult to know where the truth lies.
Am I right in assuming that they have two quite separate types of growth - climbing stems and running stems? I have been tying all the stems up to wires and only recently realised that some of the stems going across my roof are in fact runners, which make no attempt to attach themselves to anything.
I have noticed this in particular with a lovely Ipomea indica that I had from Charlie earlier this year, but I assume the principle is the same with most climbers. I am amazed at the vigorousness of the Ipomea, the climbing stems are now 10 feet or more, and one of the runners is over 20 feet.
I assume that the purpose of runners is purely for propagation, so they will never produce flowers - at least until they set down roots and produce a new climbing stem. So I also assume that I should remove them as soon as I see them - is that right?
It appears from Googling that I. indica rarely produces seed. I understand that this is because it can't be fertilised with its own (or its clone's) pollen. So you need two unrelated plants to produce seed, but as propagation is primarily vegetative most plants in the UK may well be clones of each other.
I. indica is described as the perennial Ipomea. Are any of the cultivars that you can buy from seed, such as 'Heavenly Blue', perennial? Many plants and seeds are so badly described, with true perennials being described as annuals, and tender plants described as being hardy, that it is difficult to know where the truth lies.