Height: 10 inches
Spread: 10 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Other Names: Bayhops, Beach Morning Glory, Goat's Foot
Description:
A fast growing vine with trailing stems that root along the way for long distances or occasionally climb; found primarily on warm, coastal beaches, rarely inland; dark green, leathery foliage is round to oval; large violet blue flowers appear year-round
Ornamental Features
Railroad Vine features bold violet trumpet-shaped flowers with blue overtones and white throats along the stems from early winter to late fall. Its glossy oval leaves remain dark green in color with distinctive light green veins throughout the year.
Landscape Attributes
Railroad Vine is an herbaceous annual with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care and upkeep, and can be pruned at anytime. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
- Spreading
- Disease
- Self-Seeding
Railroad Vine is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Hedges/Screening
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Railroad Vine will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. As a climbing vine, it should either be planted near a fence, trellis or other landscape structure where it can be trained to grow upwards on it, or allowed to trail off a retaining wall or slope. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.
This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by cuttings.
Railroad Vine is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
