Monastery Bells Cobaea scandens
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Cobaea lasseri
- Rosenbergia scandens
- Phonetic Spelling
- ko-BEE-uh SKAN-dens
- Description
-
Tender tropical perennial vine grown as an annual with showy flowers and loves the sun.
To propagate file the seeds to speed germination. Adding excess fertilizer will promote foliage at the expense of flowers. It prefers moist, well-drained soil. Works well in vertical spaces but needs a fence, arbor or trellis to climb.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Alba'
White flowers - 'Royal Plum'
Purple flowers - 'Variegata'
Variegated leaves
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba', 'Royal Plum', 'Variegata'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Alba'
White flowers - 'Royal Plum'
Purple flowers - 'Variegata'
Variegated leaves
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba', 'Royal Plum', 'Variegata'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cobaea
- Species:
- scandens
- Family:
- Polemoniaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mexico
- Wildlife Value:
- In their native habitat, flowers are pollinated by bats. (NB. Flower-visiting bats do not occur in eastern North America)
- Climbing Method:
- Tendrils
- Dimensions:
- Height: 25 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Vine
- Habit/Form:
- Cascading
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- 24-60 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 1a, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Cup
- Funnel
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- fused petals
- Flower Description:
- Bell, cup or funnel-shaped flowers start out green and mature to purple with an unpleasant musky odor when they first open. They hang upside down the vine and have a saucer-like green caylx around them. Flowers will remain on the vine for about 4 days. and they appear from late summer to early fall.
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Pinnate leaves with four leaflets
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Vertical Spaces
