P. Stenopetala
Description
An intensely fragrant species producing large hanging clusters of weeping white flowers with thin, curly, spider-like petals and a yellow throat. Fragrance is very strong, described as jasmine or carnation perfume. Limbs and leaves are thin, and foliage is long, pointed, narrow, and twisted. The species has a strongly weeping, rambling shrub-like habit and is evergreen. Cuttings are difficult to root (one reason it is uncommon), so it must be grafted or grown as a seedling; it can also be air-layered. Blooms on every tip; a heavy bloomer with good blooming habit. As cold resistant as other species. Very rust resistant but gets powdery mildew. Likes more water than P. rubra. Sets tiny seed, though seeds do not stay viable long. Size is easy to control by annual pruning. Found in Cuba, originally from Hispaniola in the Dominican Republic; a similar-flowered species exists in a specific montane region of Cuba where P. cubensis does not occur. May be a subspecies of P. stenophylla. Not to be confused with the very different and inferior P. Stenopatala / P. Steno Patala sold as a misnamed plant.
Appearance
Large hanging clusters of weeping, white, thin and curly-petaled, spider-like flowers with a yellow throat.
Bloom
Blooms on every tip; heavy bloomer with large drooping flower clusters.
Fragrance
Very strong jasmine or carnation perfume; intensely fragrant.
Growth & Foliage
Thin branches in strongly weeping, rambling shrub or vine-like habit; evergreen; limbs and leaves thin; leaves long, narrow, pointed, and twisted. Compact growth habit.
Cultivation Tips
Cuttings difficult to root; must be grafted, grown as a seedling, or air-layered. Size easily controlled by annual pruning. Cold resistant (on par with other species). Very rust resistant but gets powdery mildew. Likes more water than P. rubra. Hard to display nicely due to weeping, rambling habit. Sets tiny seeds, but they do not stay viable.
Provenance
Found in Cuba, originally from Hispaniola in the Dominican Republic. A similar species exists in a specific montane region of Cuba where P. cubensis does not occur; may be a subspecies of P. stenophylla.
Details
Parentage
Seedling of very fragrant species must be grafted or grown as a
Fragrance Strength
strong jasmine, spider like fl
Anecdotal Notes
Diana
found in Cuba, from Hispaniola in the Dominican Republic. There's one species in Cuba with similar flowers but the leaves are different and it's in a very specific montane region where P. cubensis does not occur. May be a subspecies of P. stenophylla. Extremely fragrant species produces large hanging clusters of weeping, white, thin and curly petaled blossoms with a very strong jasmine perfume. The limbs are thin, as are the leaves. The size is easy to control by annual pruning. The cuttings are difficult to root, probably one of the reasons it is not commonly found. Must be grafted. Can be air layered. Thin branches in strongly weeping habit and spider like flowers smelling of Carnations. Compact growth habit, very fragrant species must be grafted or grown as a seedling. Wonderful and spectacularly fragrant rambling vine which is very hard to display nicely. Not to be confused with the totally different and extremely inferior P. Stenopatala /P. Steno Patala, sold as a misnamed plant. Evergreen species, long narrow and twisted petals, white with yellow throat, leaves also long and pointed, good blooming plant. This intensely fragrant beauty is blooming on every tip. All I have to worry about is keeping it from draping over everything, since it's essentially a weeping plumeria. Heavy bloomer. The species appears as cold resistant as any of the other species. Seeds don't stay viable. Strong carnation perfume. A shrub with thin hanging branches in a rambling habit with large white drooping, spiderlike flowers that are strongly carnation. Very rust resistant. Gets powdery mildew. Likes more water than P. rubra. Sets tiny seed.
References
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