Snailflower
Cochliasanthus caracalla
- Native to:
- Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Uruguay
Alex Lomas (www.flickr.com),Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil (www.flickr.com),Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil (www.flickr.com),Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil (www.flickr.com),Dave Whitinger (allthingsplants.com),Dave Whitinger (allthingsplants.com),Teclasorg (www.flickr.com),Cephas,Cephas,Teclasorg (www.flickr.com),Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica - INMA (en.wikipedia.org),Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica - INMA (en.wikipedia.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Cochliasanthus
- Species:
- Cochliasanthus caracalla
- USDA Symbol:
- VICA83
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 600 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, white, cream, pink
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- butterflies, hummingbirds, bees
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- native to tropical regions, prefers warm conditions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Scarify or soak seeds 24 hours before sowing. Seeds germinate best at warm temperatures around 70-75°F.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI