8 seeds
Sowing: 25°C constant, night and day, between March and April
Planting space: On a climbing frame, a plant covers about ten meters.
Flowering: about two months after sowing
Moon Flower (Iponomea Alba)
Moon Flower (Iponomea alba): a beautiful and romantic night-blooming flower. The marvelous blooms appear at vespers, with gigantic, white flowers and an intense, citrusy scent. The flowers are ephemeral, lasting only one night, but reappear in ever-increasing numbers night after night. It is a climbing plant, extremely vigorous, growing several centimeters a day, filling pergolas and gazebos, fences, and flowerbeds in just a few days. Native to the subtropical and tropical regions of North and South America, this member of the Convolvulaceae family boasts a fascinating ancient history. The sulfur contained in these plants was intentionally combined with the latex of the rubber tree to vulcanize it and make it elastic, then molded into the shape of a ball for the famous game of the Mayans ( poc-ta-poc) and the Aztecs ( tlachtli). This Vulcanization technique predates Charles Goodyear's process by a full 3,000 years.
In the field: it's a macrothermal plant, loves the heat, and, as mentioned, requires significant support (we grow it on fence posts). It's a perennial in its native region, but can be grown as an annual in temperate climates, thanks in part to its incredible growth and flowering speed. Extremely easy to grow once the transplant stress has passed, it's not vulnerable to plant diseases or phytophagous insects. The entire plant is mildly toxic, but even ingestion poses no problems because the active ingredient is highly emetic for animals and humans.
We should pay particular attention to the early germination and post-emergence stages. The seeds have a particularly thick tegument ("shell"), and it's best to scratch it before planting, or soak them in water for at least 24 hours. We should also monitor the temperature, which should remain around 25°C day and night. It will take about three weeks for them to emerge.
The transplant will take place between April and May, you can put it in the ground when you see the first corn fields appear.
Once the transplant stress is over, it will be a sight to behold. About a month later, the first flowers will appear, increasingly numerous and present every cloudy day and night until the first intense frosts.
It attracts diurnal pollinators such as moths, which will pollinate the flower which will then produce a capsule containing two to four seeds.
Don't miss this beauty.