Beaumontia

( bow - MAHN - tee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Herald's Trumpet or Easter Lily Vine, these beautiful flowering vines are evergreen, need full sun to partial shade and regular waterings. They are vigorous growers native to the Himalayas, and reach up to 30 feet tall and just as wide. Leaves are dark green and flowers are fragrant, white and veined with green. Great for espalier plants and for near swimming pools and other outdoor gathering areas. Frost will kill this vine back to the ground, but it will return in spring from bare roots. The genus Beaumontia contains just 9 species, only one of which is commonly cultivated in gardens (Beaumontia grandiflora), and is a member of the plant family Apocynaceae. Easter Lily Vine grows best in zones 12, 13, 16, 17, 21-24, H1 and H2. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Caring for Beaumontia

These vigorous vines should be planted in an area of the garden that can accommodate their full size - they can reach over 30 feet tall and have an equal spread. They appreciate full sun to light shade; ideally, they should be getting around 6 hours of direct sun each day for best flowering. They like rich soil that drains well; if local soils are particularly poor or have insufficient drainage, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic material and/or compost before installing. After planting, apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant, ensuring that mulch stays at least a few inches away from the stems. This will increase soil moisture retention, suppress weed growth, and maintain a constant soil temperature. Water newly planted vines regularly as they establish a strong root system. At maturity, these plants still like to have moisture in the soil around their roots; they are intolerant of dry soil conditions. Make sure to water each time the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feels dry to the touch.

These vines are not drought tolerant, and appreciate soil that is kept moist. Newly planted Beaumontia vines should be getting water every few days as they establish a strong root system. As a general rule, irrigate mature vines when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feels dry. Pruning is often required for these vines simply because they are so large. The best time to prune Beaumontia vines is right after they are done flowering in fall. This will promote new flowering wood for the following year. Flowers on these vines are produced on wood that is over two years old, so when pruning, ensure that you are keeping a good portion of old wood on the plant. Feed these vines regularly to keep up with their growth and flowering; apply a thick layer of organic compost each springtime to supply nutrients for the year.

Propagation

Beaumontia vines can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your vine, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Beaumontia by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Beaumontia by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. Beaumontia vines are notoriously slow at producing seeds, especially in less tropical, more temperate zones. Cooler temperatures translate to less flowering and therefore less seed production. When they do produce seed pods, they are typically ready for harvesting in late summer or fall. They will dry out, turn brown and begin to split open on the vine; this is when they should be harvested. Empty the seed pod of the seeds, and then carefully remove the tufted part of each seed. Once seeds are cleaned, they can be laid out to work with.
Scarify seeds using sandpaper or nick them with a sharp knife to improve water absorption. Soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours prior to sowing. This will help to break down the hard seed coat, and increase rates of germination.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 1-2 months from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.