Plants 4 Bees :: Bignoniaceae :: Photo_Podrania_ricasoliana

Podrania ricasoliana

Scientific name	:	Podranea ricasoliana
Synonyms	:	Pandorea ricasoliana, Tecoma ricasoliana
Origin	:	South Africa
Description	:	Podranea ricasoliana is a sprawling vine with oppositely placed, pinnately compound, evergreen foliage with 7 to 11 oval pointed leaves with toothed edges that are about 2 inches in length. The flowers are attractive, pinkish, bell shaped blooms are about 2 inches in diameter and are ornamented inside with red lines. The blossoms are borne in clusters of up to 20 flowers per cluster. The fruits are slender pods, about one ft long, which split into two segments to empty their seeds.
Distribution	:	While the USDA distribution map shows Florida as the only state in which the species has been naturalized, even here, it is probably restricted to parts of the state where frost is uncommon.
Blooming period	:	Julia Morton[9] provides the information that the species blooms November to February, but I have seen it blooming at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden near Miami in May.
Importance	:	Based partly on a Cuban reference, Julia Morton considers the species to likely be a rich source of nectar, and states that bees visit it throughout the day. In 2003 I saw bees visiting the plant at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden despite the fact that the bee populations at the time were relatively low.
Additional information	:	Where it can be grown, this plant would make an excellent addition to a honey plant garden. Watkins and Sheehan[19] have this to say about it as a landscape plant, “Of the many vines in the bignonia family, this is held to be the most delicately attractive by many experienced gardeners. The graceful foliage, delicate coloration of the attractive trumpets and moderate growth rate contribute to its excellence. It is highly commended to those who live within its climatic range.” It will add color and interest to porches, fences, pergolas and palm trunks. The species does best in full sun, or perhaps, in the light shade of a tall palm or pine. The species is easy to propagate since it roots where it contacts the soil. It does, however, need to be tied up until the stems become established on their support.
Reference	:	1. Barnes, B. V., W. H. Wagner.1981. Michigan Trees. The University of Michigan Press. Ann Arbor. 2. Burgett, D. M., B. A. Stringer and L. D. Johnston. 1989. Nectar and Pollen Plants of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Honeystone Press. Blodgett, OR. 3. Dirr, M. A. 1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. Stipes Publishing L.L.C. Champaign, IL. 4. Larsson, H. C. and R. Shuel. 1992. Nectar Trees, Shrubs and Herbs of Ontario. (C. D. Scott-Dupree, Ed.). Publication 82. Ontario Minister of Agriculture and Food. 5. Lovell, J. 1926. Honey Plants of North America. A. I. Root Co. Medina, OH. 6. Milum, V. G. 1957. Illinois Honey and Pollen Plants. Contributions from the Department of Horticulture, University of Illinois, Urbana IL. 7. Morton Arboretum Staff. 1990. Woody Plants of The Morton Arboretum. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, IL. 8. Morton, J. A. 1964. Honeybee plants of South Florida. Proceedings, Florida State Horicultural Society 77:415-436. 9. Morton, J. F. 1981. 500 Plants of South Florida. Fairchild Tropical Garden. Miami, Florida. 10. Nye, W. P. 1971. Nectar and Pollen Plants of Utah. Utah State University Monograph Series, Volume XVIII, Number 3. Utah State University Press. Logan, UT. 11. Oertel, E. 1938. Untitled comments. American Bee Journal 78:403. 12. Oertel, E. 1939. Honey and Pollen Plants of the United States (U. S. D. A. Circular 554) U. S. Government Printing Office. Washington D. C. 13. Pammel, L. H. and C. M. King. 1930. Honey Plants of Iowa. Iowa Geological Survey Bulletin No. 7. Iowa Geological Survey, State of Iowa. Des Moines. 14. Pellett, F. C. 1978. American Honey Plants. Dadant and Sons, Hamilton, IL. 15. Sanborn, C. E. and E. E. Scholl. 1908. Texas Honey Plants. Bulletin No. 102, Texas Agricultural Experiment Stations. College Station. Texas. 16. Schiller, Dr. J. 1938. The Catalpa Tree as a two-Fold Nectar Source. American Bee Journal 78:329-320. 17. USDA, NRCS. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA 18. Vansell, G. H. 1949. Pollen and Nectar Plants of Utah. Circular 124, Agricultural Experiment Station, Utah Agricultural College. 19. Watkins, J. V. and T. J. Sheehan. 1975 Florida Landscape Plants--Native and exotic.(Revised edition). The University Presses of Florida. Gainesville, FL. 20. Wyman, D. 1950. Order of Bloom. Arnoldia 10(7-8):41-56.