Family
Scrophulariaceae
Botanical Name
LOPHOSPERMUM atrosanguineum
Plant Common Name
Lophospermum
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
Twining upward with heart-shaped leaves, the purple bell vine's flower is deep blackish purple and contrasts a cup-shaped, rosy-pink calyx ring at it base. An evergreen, frost-tender small perennial vine that is often grown as an annual in temperate climates, it is native to southwestern Mexico.
The bright, medium green leaves are ornately heart-shaped with very rounded lobes and a slender tip. From late spring to fall, black-purple or maroon-brown flowers appear, trumpet shaped but fully pendent. The base of the flower is a ring of modified leaves, called calyces, that are bright rose.
Grow purple bell vine in full sun to partial sun in a fertile, organic-rich, well-draining soil that is not alkaline. Light frosts in the warmest parts of USDA zone 9 will kill the plant to the ground; it will either regrow from the roots in spring or a newly germinated seed will take over. In cold areas grow it as an annual vine in containers that can be overwintered indoors in a sunny room. This small vine is pretty on a trellis, on a small patio support beam or scrambling through the lower, bare branches of a tall shrub. It also can be grown in a large hanging basket.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 5
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USDA Hardiness Zone
9 - 12
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Plant Type
Vine/Liana
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Height
6'-10' / 1.8m - 3.0m
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Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
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Native To
Mexico
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
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Growth Rate
Very Fast
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Vining/Climbing
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Seasonal Interest
Summer, Fall
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Purple, Rose, Black
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Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Green
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Bark Color
Sandy Brown
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Hanging Basket, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical, Vine
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Attracts
Hummingbirds
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Self-Sowing
Yes
