Cobaea scandens

Description from Sarah Raven

Cobaea scandens ‘Alba’

• Genus: Cobaea
• Variety: scandens ‘Alba’
• Common Name: Cup and saucer vine

This is one of my favourite plants growing in the white garden at Sissinghurst. There it covers arches over the path. Grown in a greenhouse, this will flower almost twelve months of the year.
Cobaea scandens are a fantastic, exotic looking plant. I’ve picked a bunch of these in December on a sheltered wall in Sussex. Use them floating in a shallow bowl or simply mixed with rosemary in a tumbler.These are rampant climbers which will cover a wall in a trice – growing up to a second storey window if given a climbing frame. They are perfect for following sweet peas, as they flower long and hard from mid-summer to winter.

• Conditioning: Sear stem ends in boiling water, and they will make a brilliant cut flower.

RHS Award of Garden Merit
Perfect for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects
Product Code: 050001

Cobaea scandens ‘Purple’

• Genus: Cobaea
• Variety: scandens ‘Purple’

Cobaea scandens ‘Purple’ will clamber up and over your garden wall. It is a fantastic, exotic looking plant with buds in green-white, deepening to purple as they age.
I’ve picked a bunch of these in December on a sheltered wall in Sussex. Use them floating in a shallow bowl or simply mixed with rosemary in a tumbler.
These are rampant climbers which will cover a wall in a trice – growing up to a 2nd storey window if given a climbing frame. Or, perfect for following sweet peas, as they flower long and hard from mid summer to winter.

• Conditioning: Sear the stem ends in boiling water to extend the vase life. 

RHS Award of Garden Merit
Perfect for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects.
Product Code: 050002

• Type: Half-hardy annual climber
• Sowing: Sow January-March. Pot up in individual biodegradable pots for ease – then plant straight out after last frosts.
• Soil Type: Well drained soil, with plenty of organic matter. Will grow in acidic, chalky or moist soils.
• Site: Full sun and shelter
• Height: 6 metres (20ft) Final Thinning/Planting
• Distance: 45cm apart at the base of a frame – this will need some support to climb up.
• Flowers: ❀ July – October, or 20 weeks from sowing.
• Flower production: 4 months, or 8 months in greenhouse. This is a cut-and-come-again variety.
• Vase life: 7-10 days, can be floated with nightlights in a shallow bowl.