- Author: Betty Victor
Hardenbergia violacea is known as a vigorous growing vine—and boy, are they right.
I did what a Master Gardener should not do; buy a plant without knowing much about its growth habit as I did with the Hardenbergia. The one I decided on has purple flowers, but they also come in white and pink. It blooms from January until early spring-when there usually is not a lot of color in my yard. Oh the color it has added with small purple flowers that grow in clusters.
A one gallon size was purchased early last summer, and was planted in the front garden. A trellis was added so it would have something to climb on. Climb it did, in no time stakes had to be added on the sides of the trellis as it was headed for the rose bushes, clearly it needed more room to expand.
So after I researched my Hardenbergia, I saw that it can and will grow in part sun where summers are hot, and full sun in cooler summer area. They need very good drainage and like damp soil-which could be a problem this summer with drought warnings in our future. Yet information on it also said that it is a drought-tolerant plant, once established. Warm weather is its growing season, so fertilize with an all purpose fertilizer every 3-4 months.
Their growth pattern, unless kept under control, will soon wind around anything that's in its path: plants, fence, house's it is not particular as to what it climbs on. The information I saw recommends that you pay close attention, first to where you plant it, and second which is just as important keep it pruned to the size you can manage. Even with all the advice on this plant, I found it might need to be kept under control. I think it's worth it to see the color it adds to a gray winter day. But I will keep an eye on it so that it does not get out of control.