Dalechampia

( dah - leh - CHAMP - ee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Costa Rican Butterfly Vine is an evergreen plant that needs full sun or light shade and regular water to perform well. Species in the genus are native to Central and South America, and typically reach up to 25 feet long with dark green leaves that are fuzzy and pale underneath. Tiny flowers appear between two bracts in early summer to late fall, though these vines can flower year round if given adequate protection, nutrients and water. Their flower and bract arrangement cause them to look a bit like Bougainvillea vines. Use these interesting plants as specimens in the landscape, to climb up trellises or other structures, or in containers along walkways or on patios for added color and foliage. Take care when planting these vines in the landscape, as plant parts are poisonous if ingested.

Dalechampia Species and Varietals

The genus Dalechampia is a member of the plant family Euphorbiaceae and includes 121 distinct species. The genus is named for French physician and writer Jacobus Dalechampius (Jacques d'Alechamp). This vine grows best in USDA hardiness zones 9-11 or Sunset growing zones 17-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Dalechampia aristolochiifolia (Purple Wings, Bella Abanquina, Butterfly Vine, Butterfly Climber, Silk Crepe Flower, Winged Beauty, Bow Tie Vine)
These plants are native to seasonal forested areas of Peru, and produce light green heart-shaped leaves. Flowers are small, and the surrounding bracts are deep purple-pink to fuchsia colored with serrated margins. This species is considered invasive in some tropical and subtropical areas, including Peru.

Dalechampia capensis (Inzula, Wild Hop, Common Wildhop)
These vining shrubby plants are native to Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Eswatini, Tanzania, and Zambia, where they grow in desert or dry shrubland landscapes. Foliage is green, and flowers are insignificant, surrounded by large, greenish-yellow bracts. Can be weedy, but is not considered invasive.

Dalechampia dioscoreifolia (Costa Rican Butterfly Vine, Purple Wings, Winged Beauty, Bow Tie Vine)
These plants are native to Central America as well as northern and western areas of South America, and can reach up to between 16 and 25 feet long when mature. Foliage is green, and flowers are insignificant. Bracts are light green to light yellow, marked with dark brownish-red veining.

Dalechampia triphylla (Triphylla Leaf Flower)
Native to tropical areas of South America, these vining shrubs produce green leaves. They produce small white flowers in mid-summer to late fall. The flowers are surrounded by two trilobal bracts that are light green with dark green veining. It is a favorite plant of many butterfly species in its native range. This species grows well in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11.

Caring for Dalechampia

Plant these vines in full sun to partial shade conditions. They typically like to receive between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day, though they can benefit from some late afternoon shade, especially in warmer regions. These plants grow vigorously, and will quickly fill in the space they are planted. Ensure that there is enough space for their mature size before planting, which is to 2-3 feet wide and 15-20 feet tall. They are hardy to 25 degrees Fahrenheit, and will need some protection from drying winds and sustained frosty temperatures. They are not picky about soil, as long as it is well-draining and moderately fertile. If local soils are compacted, do not drain well, or are particularly poor in nutrients, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic matter or compost before installing. Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant after installation, 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.

​After planting, water plants in and continue providing regular waterings until they have established a strong root system, which typically happens after about a year of care. These plants prefer to get regular irrigations when mature as well, though this depends on the species grown. Tropical species will need more water, those that grow well in deserts will need less. Each year in springtime, pull back mulch, apply a thick layer of compost around the base of the plant, and work it into the soil. Replace mulch after fertilizing. Prune as needed during the growing season to control size and shape. Each spring, a pruning can be carried out to remove dead, damaged, diseased, or crossing stems.

Propagation

Dalechampia shrubs and 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 Dalechampia, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Dalechampia by Cutting
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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. 
  4. 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 Dalechampia by Seed
  1. 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.
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Dalechampia plants are pretty easy to spot, they're large and left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. 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 7-14 days 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.
  4. 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.
Dalechampia seed pods are green when they form, and mature to brown before opening and spilling their seeds.
Dalechampia seeds.

Problems and Pests

Certain species of Dalechampia are considered invasive in tropical and subtropical regions. See the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Dalechampia vining shrubs are relatively resilient shrubs in the landscape, but can have issues from time to time with the following:
  • Spider Mites
  • Aphids
  • Crown Rot
  • Root Rot
For more information on these pests and diseases, including how to treat them, consult the following pages:
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Gallery

The flower inflorescences on these vines look similar to those of Bougainvillea.
These vines can climb most structures easily without much training.
The pink bracts around flowers are eye-catching against the green foliage of these vines.

Videos

How to care for these interesting vines.

Resources

Dalechampia discoreifolia
Plant Profile: Costa Rican Butterfly Vine
How to Propagate Dalechampia affinis
Wikipedia: Dalechampia
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 280, Dalechampia dioscoreifolia