Calonyction aculeatum, Ipomoea alba

Giant moonflower
Family: Convolvulaceae
Origin: Tropical America
Vine or creeper

Gorgeous, herbaceous climber related to the Morning Glory. Blooms in the evening and grows wild in the tropics of both hemispheres. Calonyction Aculeatum is the most common kind; It can reach a height of 15 feet or more. It's covered with lovely leaves and white, fragrant flowers that resemble trumpets, up to 6 inches across. Calonyctions (Moonflowers) are able to thrive as perennials outside in the far South only. Otherwise, they may be grown in greenhouses, or started early inside and transferred outdoors later to live as Potting in a greenhouse needs a minimum winter temperature of 45f degrees. They can be planted in large pots or tubs or a prepared bed of soil. The soil mixture to use should consist of two parts loam, one part peat moss or leaf mold, and one part of well-decayed manure with a liberal amount of sand added. The shoots should be trained to a trellis or wires that are attached to the roof or wall of the greenhouse. In the early spring, the soil should be top-dressed with rich compost and wiry shoots are cut out to prevent the plant from becoming crowded. Water should be given abundantly from April to September and liquid fertilizer should be applied once in a while if necessary; the remainder of the year, water sparingly, only when the soil is dry.

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