Plant problems

Why Are My Eccremocarpus Leaves Curling?

Q: Why are my eccremocarpus leaves curling?

Eccremocarpus scaber (Chilean glory flower or glory vine) leaves curl most commonly in the UK because of aphid infestation on the young shoot tips, cold damage killing the top growth in winter, drought stress in containers or very dry soils, or red spider mite in hot, dry summer conditions. Eccremocarpus scaber is a vigorous, fast-growing, evergreen tendril climber from Chile and Peru; in UK gardens it is grown for its abundant clusters of small, tubular flowers in brilliant shades of orange, red, yellow, and pink from June to October (and sometimes earlier if started under glass). In the mildest UK gardens (sheltered coastal and urban southern England), eccremocarpus behaves as a perennial that overwinters successfully and regrows from the base or from surviving stems each spring, building up into a substantial climbing plant over two to three seasons; in most UK positions it is treated as a half-hardy annual, started from seed indoors in February to March and planted out after the last frost in late May, reaching flowering size by June or July. Aphids are the most common cause of leaf curl in UK eccremocarpus: the soft, pinnate leaves and young shoot tips are colonised by greenfly in spring and summer, causing the leaflets to curl and the growing tips to distort. Red spider mite is particularly common on eccremocarpus in hot, dry conditions in sheltered, sun-baked positions, causing fine speckling, bronzing, and curling of the leaves. Cold damage kills the top growth of all but the most sheltered UK plants.

Q: Is eccremocarpus perennial in the UK?

Eccremocarpus scaber is an evergreen perennial in its native Chile; in UK gardens, whether it behaves as a perennial or must be treated as an annual depends entirely on the UK winter conditions at the planting site. In the mildest UK gardens (sheltered south or west-facing walls in coastal gardens in Cornwall, Devon, Pembrokeshire, and the Channel Islands; sheltered urban positions in central London; and similar mild microclimates), eccremocarpus survives UK winters with its roots and lower stems intact, regrowing vigorously in spring to produce a climbing plant from established roots that flowers earlier and more abundantly than a plant grown from seed in the same season. In such gardens, cut back the damaged or dead top growth in spring (April) and apply a deep bark mulch over the root zone in November; the plant may survive UK winters for many years. In most of the UK, eccremocarpus is killed by winter frost (typically to the ground or entirely); in these gardens it is treated as a half-hardy annual: sow seed in February to March in warmth under glass (at 18 to 21°C), prick out into individual pots, harden off in April to May, and plant out after the last frost in late May. Plants sown and raised in this way reach flowering size by July and continue flowering until the first autumn frost. The ease of growing eccremocarpus from seed makes the annual approach very practical; seed is widely available and germination is fast (7 to 14 days at 18°C). In favourable UK positions, eccremocarpus self-seeds prolifically; seedlings appear in spring around established plants and can be transplanted to new positions.

Q: How do I grow eccremocarpus from seed in the UK?

Eccremocarpus is easy to grow from seed in the UK; sow indoors in February to March (at 18 to 21°C, in a heated propagator or on a warm windowsill); do not sow outdoors or in an unheated greenhouse as the seed needs consistent warmth to germinate. Sow seeds thinly on the surface of moist seed compost in a module tray or small pots; do not bury the very small seeds but press them lightly onto the surface. Cover the tray with cling film or a propagator lid to maintain humidity. Germination occurs in 7 to 14 days at 18°C; remove the cover as soon as the seeds germinate. Prick out into individual 9 cm pots when the seedlings are large enough to handle (about 3 to 4 weeks after germination). Grow on in a frost-free greenhouse, conservatory, or warm windowsill. Harden off gradually in April and May by moving plants outside during the day and bringing them in at night; this acclimatises the plants to outdoor temperatures and winds before final planting. Plant out after the last frost (late May to early June in most UK positions) in a sunny, sheltered position with a support structure (trellis, wire, or through a host shrub); space plants 60 to 90 cm apart. Water in well and tie the young, tendril-bearing stems loosely to their support. The plants grow rapidly in warm weather and may reach 2 to 3 m by midsummer; flowers typically begin by June or July and continue until the first autumn frost. In mild UK gardens, the surviving rootstock can be left in position overwinter with a bark mulch for protection, and will produce established-plant growth in spring.

Q: What colours does eccremocarpus come in?

Eccremocarpus scaber is available in a range of tubular flower colours from seed and as young plants; the most widely available forms are orange (the typical wild colour, with slightly inflated, tubular flowers in clear bright orange), red (deeper, darker flowers), yellow (clear, warm yellow), and pink (soft coral pink to deeper rose pink). Mixed-colour seed strains (such as 'Tresco Mix', 'Anglia Hybrids', and similar named blends) are widely sold in UK garden centres and online, producing plants in a range of orange, red, yellow, and pink shades from a single packet of seed; this is a convenient way to obtain a varied display, though the colour mix is variable and unpredictable. Single-colour seed strains are available for gardeners who prefer a specific colour; the pure orange form is particularly vibrant and is the closest to the wild species. The flowers of all forms are tubular and slightly curved, about 2 to 3 cm long, produced in racemes (hanging clusters) from the leaf axils; they are attractive to bees, bumblebees, and in their native range to hummingbirds. The range of available colours is smaller than for many climbing plants; there is no true blue or white eccremocarpus, and the purple-flowered forms sometimes mentioned in older garden literature appear to have been confused with other species. The flowers are followed by inflated, papery seed pods that split to release numerous small, winged seeds; the pods are ornamental in themselves and add to the season of interest of the plant.

Eccremocarpus scaber (Chilean glory flower or glory vine) is a fast-growing, tendril-climbing annual or tender perennial from Chile with abundant tubular flowers in orange, red, yellow, or pink from June to October. Treated as a half-hardy annual in most UK gardens and as a perennial in the mildest sheltered positions. Aphids on the soft pinnate leaves and cold damage are the most common causes of leaf curl; the plant is easy to grow from seed and self-seeds freely in favourable positions.

Aphids

Aphids are the most common pest of eccremocarpus in UK gardens; the soft, bipinnate leaves and young shoot tips are colonised by greenfly in spring and summer, causing leaflets to curl, growing tips to distort, and the plant to look untidy during active growth periods. Infestations are typically heaviest on the first flush of young growth in May and June before natural predators have built up to population-controlling levels. The vigorous growth of eccremocarpus in a warm, sunny position quickly outgrows light to moderate aphid damage within two to three weeks.

What to do

No treatment is usually needed for light infestations on vigorous, well-grown plants; natural predators (ladybirds, lacewings, hoverfly larvae) arrive within a few weeks and reduce populations significantly. Pinch off heavily colonised shoot tips. Apply insecticidal soap spray to young growth and leaf undersides if the infestation is heavy. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers; excess nitrogen produces soft, lush growth most attractive to aphids.

Red spider mite

Red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) is common on eccremocarpus in hot, dry conditions; the mites colonise the leaf undersides and cause fine pale speckling of the upper leaf surface, progressive bronzing, and inward curling of the leaf margins. Fine silken webbing over shoot tips and leaf undersides is diagnostic of a heavy infestation. Red spider mite thrives in hot, dry, still conditions; eccremocarpus against a south-facing wall in a hot UK summer is at elevated risk. The problem is most severe in July and August.

What to do

Mist the leaf undersides with water in hot, dry conditions; high humidity disrupts spider mite reproduction. Apply predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis for biological control when temperatures are consistently above 16°C. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray to all leaf surfaces, focusing on the undersides; repeat every 7 to 10 days. Ensure the plant is adequately watered; moisture-stressed plants are more susceptible to mite damage.

Cold damage

Cold damage kills the top growth of eccremocarpus at the first hard autumn frost; the tender, evergreen stems and leaves blacken overnight and the plant dies back to the ground or entirely, depending on how cold the winter is and how sheltered the position. In the mildest UK positions (sheltered south-facing wall in a coastal or urban garden), the roots and lower stems may survive and regrow in spring; in most UK positions, the plant is killed entirely and must be regrown from seed the following spring. Late spring frosts in May can also kill young plants that have been put out too early before the last frost date.

What to do

In mild UK gardens: apply a bark mulch over the root zone in November and wrap the lower stems with fleece; check for regrowth in April and cut back dead stems to new growth. In most UK gardens: treat as an annual; sow seed in February to March under glass, harden off in April to May, and plant out after the last frost (late May to early June). Do not plant out until nighttime temperatures are reliably above 5°C; late spring frosts are the main risk for early-planted seedlings.

Drought stress

Eccremocarpus can suffer drought stress in containers or in very freely draining soils during hot UK summers; the bipinnate leaves curl and the plant may temporarily wilt in very hot, dry conditions. Container-grown plants are most vulnerable as the restricted root volume dries out quickly in warm weather. In the ground with reasonable soil moisture, established eccremocarpus tolerates moderate drying and recovers quickly when watered.

What to do

Water container-grown eccremocarpus regularly in summer; check the compost every 2 to 3 days in warm weather. Mulch the root zone of ground-planted specimens. The plant grows fast and tolerates some drying out better than many more tender plants; in average UK garden conditions in the ground, supplementary watering is rarely needed beyond the first few weeks after planting.

Frequently asked questions

Why are my eccremocarpus leaves curling?

Eccremocarpus leaves curl most commonly because of aphids on the soft, pinnate shoot tips and leaves in spring and summer (the most common cause), red spider mite in hot dry conditions causing fine speckling and bronzing with webbing on leaf undersides, cold damage killing the tender top growth (any frost will blacken the leaves), or drought stress in containers or very dry soils. On a vigorous annual plant, the damage is typically outgrown quickly in warm weather.

Is eccremocarpus perennial in the UK?

Eccremocarpus behaves as a perennial in the mildest UK gardens (sheltered coastal and urban positions in the far south and west) where the roots survive winter with bark mulch protection. In most UK positions, it is killed by winter frost and must be treated as a half-hardy annual: sow seed in February to March at 18 to 21°C, harden off in April to May, and plant out after the last frost. The plant self-seeds freely in mild, sheltered positions.

How do I grow eccremocarpus from seed in the UK?

Sow on the surface of moist seed compost in February to March at 18 to 21°C; cover the tray to maintain humidity. Germination takes 7 to 14 days; prick out into individual 9 cm pots. Harden off in April to May; plant out after the last frost (late May to early June) in a sunny, sheltered position with trellis or wire support. Plants reach flowering size by July and flower until the first autumn frost.

What colours does eccremocarpus come in?

Orange (the typical wild colour), red, yellow, and pink; mixed-colour seed strains (such as 'Tresco Mix') are widely available and produce a range of colours from a single packet. There is no true blue or white eccremocarpus. The small, slightly inflated, tubular flowers in hanging clusters are attractive to bees; they are followed by ornamental papery seed pods that split to release winged seeds.