Why I’m smitten with pretty petria this spring

Hinterland Homesteading with Racheal Pascoe

 The sensational colours of spring are all around us now and I am particularly loving our Petrea Volubilis. It’s sprigs of vibrant purple flowers make it a really special addition to a garden. It is also known as the Tropical Wisteria. 

Petrea is a vine and it likes to climb by twining it’s stems around any available support. If you provide a structure for it to grow on, you will be rewarded with an absolutely stunning showpiece. Less than 3 years ago, we planted the vines in the photos to climb over this pergola, to offer some shade. The vine is starting to get a dense canopy now and offers an architectural element to our garden. While the vines did seem a little slow to get started, they have certainly done a fabulous job of providing shade and some visual interest. Lots of what we plant here at home is with bees in mind. Our bees just love the flowers. 

Happy local

Tropical Wisteria grows well here in Australia. It is popular and very hardy. Some species do prefer the cooler climates down south, but you can see this variety is very happy at home here. (check your local nursery to see what is available) The vine likes a full sun position, in well-draining soil, with a support to climb on, such as a pergola, arch or arbour. Tropical Wisteria is a fast-growing vine, so it is always a good idea to grow it on a structure separate to the house. This way you can keep it in check. Keep the watering up until the vine is established. It is important to prune the vine, to keep it in good shape, but pruning also promotes flower growth. It is a really hardy plant which is almost pest free. 

It is how I imagine a Jack and the bean stalk kind of vine would look!  We already have these nuggety branches, which are thick and strong. They give the impression the plant has been in the ground a lot longer than it actually has. They look terrific in contrast to the delicate flowers which dance around in the breeze. When you look this good, you don’t have to smell good too. Tropical Wisteria doesn’t offer a perfume, the blooms look terrific instead.

If you are looking for some purple garden joy and you don’t have a tropical wisteria to wander around and admire... you could consider incorporating one into your future garden plans? 

Happy homesteading everyone!

Traditional Wisteria