Purple Vine

I have discovered this vine up in the mountains and I've certainly never encountered it before. Any guesses ?????

 

No, but its interesting.
Was it wild or cultivated?

 

I reckon I'm pretty good at finding obscure things on Google. I fed in every possible combination. All it could suggest was - a clematis. But it isn't. It's beautiful and if you want to send me a rooted cutting, I will let you know next year if it's hardy to zone 7/8 but I give up.

 

Hi guys. pete, it was in a planter in the place we went to in Country Life, so my guess would be cultivated. The flowers remind me a little of Salvia but I've never heard of a climbing Salvia.

Thanks for your efforts, John, but I honestly don't think it's a Clematis. I did take two snippets, much to t'other half's horror and admonishment, so ...

 

Those flowers remind me of something as well, I think you could be right with salvia.
How did it climb, by tendrils?, its not a twiner.
Maybe its not a climber, just a shrub that has been trained upwards when it wants to grow outwards.

 

Hows about salvia patens

 

I've looked up Salvia patens now and I'm not sure. No tendrils pete. Sorry about the photo, it's not really clear, think I need a new camera as I'm having lots of problems.

I've just looked and I've already deleted the original photo I cropped this from as I get so clagged up.

The clusters of flowers, very purple/blue as you can see (I have not altered the photo, only cropped) were about 20cm long, what you are seeing in that photo. This particular cluster was level with me and I'm 5'2" and went up over to the roof of the one story building (which you can see in Country Life ... it was to the left of the red building).

Hopefully my snitched pieces may root ... how should I do them? In a glass on the windowsill?

 

Think I would perhaps try rooting in water at this time of the year, but then things are a bit different for you over there.
At least that way you can keep a close eye on them.

 

I'd go with a salvia too. What about S Canariensis? This grows to 6'.

 

I Googled S canariensis, Celia, and I don't think it is as the cuttings I have don't have woolley leaves underneath.

However, it could well be this one ...

http://webs.lanset.com/pathline/sguaranitica.htm

 

I think so. It looks very much the same.
is it really anise-scented?

 

Not really, mira, and I'm an anise fan. Also the calyx on S guaranitica is green and "mine" is blue/black. Here's a lovely site I've been going through, and I'm now wondering if it's S guaranitica 'Indigo'?

http://www.robinssalvias.com/gallery2.shtm

 

Its certainly not Salvia patens - much too big, though it does look like a Salvia flower. Salvia guaranitica is not a climber, its a small shrub but it might grow to that height in your climate. But the flowers don't feel quite right.

I have taken the liberty of e-mailing your photo and description to Robin Middleton, whose site you were looking at. He's more likely to know that anyone else.

 

Hello, PeterS, it's been a while since we crossed paths.

This vine may not have actually been a vine but a shrub trimmed back or trained as such.

S guaranitica or a hybrid does seem to be the closest.

Thank you so much for e-mailing the picture to Robin Middleton ... what a fantastic site he has ... and I look forward to his response.

 

Hi LoL

Just had an e-mail from Robin Middleton. He says it is difficult to tell without really seeing the leaves and flowers, but he thinks it might be a Salvia guaranitica. - So your were right!

Your flowers don't look quite the same as mine - I have two varieties of S guaranitica 'Black and Blue' and 'Blue Ensign'. I didn't mention this to Robin, but he also said the flowers looked a bit different - more congested than normal. However he said that this might be the different climate.

S guaranitica is one of the best Salvias and is popular, so as yours was in a planter rather than in the wild, it sounds very much like it is S. guaranitica.

You should grow them LoL - there is a wide range. I love them as plants, especially as they flower for a long period of time. And they would enjoy your climate much more than mine.