Imagine a plant that grows to over 10 meters in length in just two years, turning a pergola or greenhouse into a tropical jungle and at the same time rewarding you with dozens to a hundred edible fruits. That is exactly what Psiguria umbrosa is, one of the most interesting and least known fruit vines of tropical America.
This rare plant attracts attention at first sight with its elegant, deeply cut leaves and bright orange-red flowers that look like small tropical torches. When in bloom, it looks absolutely exotic and immediately becomes the center of attention of any collection.
However, the most interesting thing comes after flowering. Small edible fruits resembling miniature cucumbers begin to appear on the plant. A well-growing plant can produce a huge number of them and it is not uncommon to harvest around a hundred fruits per season. Their refreshing taste makes Psiguria not only an ornamental rarity, but also a truly useful plant.
Another great advantage is its unpretentiousness. Psiguria umbrosa is monoecious, so it produces both male and female flowers on one plant and you don't need a second specimen to set fruit. All it needs is warmth, plenty of moisture and a support to climb on. Under favorable conditions, it grows literally before your eyes and very quickly creates a dense green wall full of flowers and fruits.
You will rarely find it in collections of tropical fruit plants. Yet it offers exactly what most growers are looking for – fast growth, exotic appearance, abundant fertility and the joy of growing something truly unusual. If you are attracted by rare tropical species that can surprise every visitor and at the same time bring their own harvest, Psiguria umbrosa is a plant that should definitely not be missing from your collection.
PRICE 20€
Instructions for growing Psiguria umbrosa
Substrate:
Preferably acidic and well-drained
Recommended mixture: 2 parts peat, 1 part perlite, a little sand
Watering:
Keep the substrate constantly moist
in winter, reduce watering, pour out excess water from the tray after watering.
Growing location:
Year-round at home: As close to a window as possible, with plenty of light.
Summering is possible outside on a terrace, garden, or balcony, only from spring to autumn: Partial shade, later full sun.
Wintering:
Tropical plant - cannot tolerate temperatures below 15°C for a long time. Winter at min. temperature 15C and above
Place in the living room, bedroom, hallway, winter garden or tempered greenhouse for the winter, always as close to the window as possible
Fertilization:
Fertilizers Ordinary water-soluble or granular
Suitable fertilizer: long-term granular fertilizer OSMOCOTE