Looking at Plants

Jacquemontia pentanthus

COMMON NAMES

Skyblue Clustervine

Jacquemontia (jak-MON-tee-uh) – named for Victor J. Jacquemont (1801-1832), French naturalist and explorer

pentanthus (pen-TAN-thus) - from the Greek for five and flower

OTHER NAMES / SYNONYMS

Jacquemontia pentantha, Convolvulus pentanthus

GROUP 

Dicot

FAMILY 

Convolvulaceae

ORIGIN

Florida, Caribbean region, Central America, Mexico, Hawaii

DESCRIPTION

Skyblue Clustervine is an herbaceous perennial twining vine that averages 8 to 10 feet in height with a comparable spread, but it can be somewhat indefinite depending on pruning and support. It has a large, sprawling vine habit of growth that can develop a somewhat woody stem or base. It has a fast growth rate.

Leaves are evergreen, lance to heart-shaped with a round base and a pointed tip, an average of 2 to 3 inches long with entire margins, and alternate in arrangement.  Stems and leaves can be somewhat fuzzy.

The light blue to lavender flowers have a white throat and an average diameter of ¾ to 1 inch, and are borne on axillary clusters. Flowers often close mid-afternoon. Bloom period is year round with a peak period in the fall.

Fruit are small, round capsules.

HARDINESS

It is hardy in USDA Zones 9b to 11. It is not freeze tolerant.

LIGHT

Full sun

SALT

Good Salt Spray Tolerance – it will grow near the shore but will benefit from a little protection such as behind the first row of plantings or behind the first dunes.

Poor Soil Salt Water Tolerance – it’s risky for this plant to be put in a site where any salt water flooding may be present and it will not tolerate irrigation with salt water.

SOIL

It prefers a moist, well-drained soil in the pH range of 6.5 to 8.0. It will tolerate poorer soils.

WATERING

It has moderate drought tolerance once established, so some water is needed for survival in dry spells. As with most plants, though, ample irrigation in droughts keeps it healthier and looking better.

PROPAGATION

Seed; Cuttings – 3 to 4 inches long with 2 to 3 nodes

PRUNING

Prune anytime to control size. Heavier pruning should be done in late spring/early summer.

FERTILIZING

It has no special fertilizer needs. Unless a soil test suggests otherwise, a slow-release balanced analysis fertilizer applied per the product label will work.

PESTS

None of significance

DISEASES

None of significance

OTHER

It needs support such as a fence or trellis if grown as a vine.

USES

Specimen vine, accent plant, groundcover

TOXICITY

A search of California Poison Control, ASPCA, Texas A&M University, Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System, University of Wisconsin, Poisonous Houseplants and Ornamentals - Merck Vet Manual, Purdue University - Guide to Toxic Plants in Forages, Poisonous Plants of the Southeastern United States - Alabama Cooperative Extension, Florida Poison Control, and The Cat Fanciers Association did not show this plant on any of their lists.