Merremia tuberosa

[M Farooq]

Botanical Name	Merremia tuberosa
Family	Convolvulaceae
Genus
Specie
Local Name in Urdu	Does not exist
Common Name	Woodrose
Life Cycle	Perennial
Cultivar Name	NA
Category(Bush/Vine/Tree)	Liana, a vine that can climb very high
Height	> 30 feet
Spacing	NA
Flowering Months	Summer
Flower Color	Yellow, the seeds become so called "wood roses"
Growing Areas	So far only in Karachi
Frost Tender	Yes
Exposure	Full sunlight
Soil pH	No special issues
Propagation	By seeds
Uses	Highly ornamental woody flowers, dried flower shops
Other Details	Woodrose is a rare plant in Pakistani gardens. It belongs to the morning glory family. So far I have only seen at two places in Karachi. The plant is originally from Hawaii, but it has adapted very well to Karachi's weather. Wood rose is so called because once the yellow morning glory like yellow flowers fertilize, seeds develop in such a way that they give an image of a woody rose. The "wood rose" itself can be kept for years without any damage. Hence it is popular with florists for decoration purposes. However, gardeners should realize that it is a liana, i.e. this vine will reach the top of your house or any support it can find. It will strangle any tree in its way because of its heavy growth. Those who like to collect rare plants, wood-rose is a must. Photo image references (1.Wikipedia, 2. perosnal and 3. University of Hawaii website)