| Life form | Liana, ampel |
| Family | Polygonaceae |
| Origin and distribution | Central America, Mexico. There are only three species in the genus. Best known in floriculture as antigonon tonkovat (Antigonon leptopus). Also known by its other name “the liana of love”. |
| Ease of cultivation | Easy to grow, resistant plant. |
| The size | At home to 6 m, in nature – up to 9-12 m. |
| Growth rate | High, in the nature of length of 12 m reaches for 2-5 years. |
| Lifespan | Perennial |
| Temperature | In summer, temperatures from +64,4 to + 77 ° F are preferable. In a heat it is necessary to spray. In winter, the shoots can be completely cut and contain the pot at a temperature of + 35,6-37,4 ° F, otherwise it is desirable to contain flower at reduced temperature + 53,6-59 ° F, to restrain the growth of the phytomass. With a warm winter content, new shoots will be weak and stretch. It is also necessary to avoid drafts and strong temperature fluctuations. |
| Humidity | Antigonon needs high humidity and regular spraying, especially in the summer heat or keep warm in winter. However, it can also adapt to relatively dry conditions. |
| Lighting | It is better to keep it in a bright light on the south window with little shading in hot weather.You can grow on the east and west window, but with a lack of light, the intensity of flowering decreases. |
| The soil | Antigonon is not very picky about soil. The substrate must be loose and nutritious, for example, from a mixture of leafy, turfy ground and sand. pH in the range 6-8. |
| Watering | The plant needs abundant watering in the summer, although the plant can tolerate a short absence of watering. Nevertheless, strong watering speeds up growth. In winter, if kept in a cool, water should be as rare as possible only after complete drying of the soil. |
| How to fertilize | During the growth period, it is necessary to fertilize about once every 2 weeks with fertilizer for flowering plants, an excess of nitrogen causes an increase in the vegetative mass and reduces the intensity of flowering. |
| Reproduction | Easily rooted cuttings, which are desirable to handle phytohormones. Can also multiply by dividing the bush during transplantation. Simply multiply by seeds, which are pre-soaked for 12 hours. Then planted in a mixture of peat or sand or directly into the soil for an adult plant to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. Germinate, covered with a film, in the light at a temperature of + 77-82,4 ° F. |
| Bloom | Blooms from spring to autumn, mainly in summer. Flowers of bright pink color with yellow stamens form large inflorescences. |
| Transplant and care | For young plants, a transplant is required every spring. Adult plants can be transplanted every 2-3 years, but the pot for growing a large adult creeper should be quite spacious and deep. For shoots, support is necessary, but you can leave them just hanging, forming an ampel plant. Since growth is very active, the plant needs to provide enough space. In the early spring, very elongated shoots should be cut off, sometimes very radically. It is necessary to permanently remove dead and sick shoots. |
| Difficulties | Antigonon is quite resistant to diseases and pests. Sometimes it is affected by a mealybug. Perhaps the appearance of spider mites and scale insects. With excessive watering in heavy soil, moisture stasis and root decay are possible. |
| Beneficial features | Roots are sometimes eaten in the homeland of a plant in Mexico, and the seeds are processed and consumed like a popcorn. Stems are used for weaving baskets In tropical countries, this liana is widely used for gardening of city streets, as it is extremely resistant to hot sun and drought, easily tolerates air pollution Leaf tea in folk medicine of tropical countries is used to treat the process, high blood pressure, diabetes, influenza. Flowers in some parts of Southeast Asia are used in wedding bouquets. |
| Toxicity | Not poisonous |
