A fast growing, woody creeper/ climber that can also be used as ground cover or trailing over pots and baskets. The juvenile foliage is smaller (around 1 to 2cm) and more attractive than the adult foliage and regular pruning can maintain the smaller foliage as can also removing any large leaves as they appear. They are a rich green, ovate and can create a very dense mat.

If grown to maturity in frost free areas the leaves reach around 5cm across and it can produce purple fig like fruits. The fruits contain a gel around the seeds that is used in Taiwan to make a jelly called Aiyu jelly. Overall height of mature plants is around 4 meters if left unpruned.

Originating from warmer parts of China and Japan as well as Vietnam it is usually grown as a house plant but we are finding it to be relatively root hardy in inner city and southern coastal areas tolerating temperatures down to -6c if given a thick winter mulch. New growth usually appears from the rootstock around late May and the shoots are very vigorous. We have even had some success with them remaining evergreen outside during the colder months if given a very sheltered south facing wall and our increasingly mild winters. If attempting to grow outside grow in full sun in a moist but well drained soil and mulch around the base for the winter.

Under glass plant in a loam based compost in a bright position and keep well watered reducing watering down for the winter months. When grown in a pot it is a hungry plant due to it’s vigorous growth rate so feed regularly with a balanced liquid food.

Sent as a young plant in a 9cm pot. May be cut back for shipping.

Additional photos By RaeA - https://www.flickr.com/photos/raeallen/10438699/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5042534, Vinayaraj - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21189322 and By Khalid Mahmood - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14758142