Plant of the Week 20/4/2010: Hibbertia scandens

(Dilleniaceae) Common name: Climbing Guinea Flower, Snake Vine.

Culture: Hibbertia scandens is a climbing or trailing plant native to the east coast and ranges of N.S.W. and Queensland. Hibbertia scandens presents well when trained onto a light frame or support structure and if conditions are ideal, the plant will grow to a width of 2.5 metres (zones 9 - 10)

Position: Hibbertia scandens like direct sunlight to very lightly dappled shade for most of the day, excepting midday summer sun. They are drought tolerant but frost tender.

Flowers: Flowers are large, 5 petalled bright, buttercup yellow colour.

Care: Hibbertia scandens should be grown in free-draining, sandy soil and are tolerant of salt spray (beach zone 3 & higher)

Propagation: Propagate by layering into a mix of 80% coarse propagating sand and 20% propagating soil.