I have had this golden chalice vine growing on my ocean-front veranda since 1999. It is from a cutting of one I had in Shelley which flowered profusely with its huge yellow flowers.
The one down here has never flowered. What is the reason?
It does lose most of its leaves in winter but as you can see in the photos is now fully recovered. The vine is growing in the ground in mainly beach sand with just a bit of added mix. It faces west directly on the ocean front so does get a lot of wind in winter but is in full lush leaf now it is summer.
Could it be a mineral deficiency? Can you help?
Meri, Silver Sands
Hi Meri,
I love golden chalice vines: they are so bizarre but they’re not much to see without those gigantic, heavenly coconut/vanilla-scented flowers. I understand your strife!
Often plants that won’t flower are not getting enough sunlight, but with a western aspect I don’t think this is the problem for your vine.
What I do suspect is that the beach sand is too nutrient deficient for this sub-tropical plant, which originated in the nutrient- and clay-rich forests of Mexico and Central America.
In Shelley, being a few dunes back from the beach, the soil there would’ve been slightly more acidic and nutrient-rich than your home in Silver Sands.
The giveaway for me is that those leaves look a lot paler than the usual, dark-green glossy leaves.
This hardy vine doesn’t need a lot of watering, so I wouldn’t change that, but I do suggest that you start to fertilize it monthly.
I would recommend using a general granular fertilizer, or even some liquid fertilizer at first for quick uptake.
Ask the store for something rich in phosphorus, as this promotes flowering, while nitrogen-rich fertilizers promote leaf growth (which doesn’t seem to be so much of a problem for you).
You may also want to do a quick check for pests, as some of the leaves look damaged by chewing insects, but I don’t think that should be stopping the vine from flowering.
It’s also worth noting that golden chalice vines mostly flower on new growth, and tolerate a heavy prune, so it may also be worth cutting back some of the old tendrils to promote a new burst.
Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
Do you have a gardening question for Jess? Send your queries to jess.cockerill@fairfaxmedia.com.au
