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Family: Bignoniaceae · Pot diameter: 19 cm (3 L) · Height: 100–125 cm
Pandorea jasminoides dresses a wall or pergola in the delicacy of open green lace, then lights it with bright trumpets centred by deep pink throats. Its glossy leaflets catch the light in small flashes, while the flowers gather at the ends of the stems and appear to float in front of the foliage. It is an elegant, exotic climber for anyone who wants summer flowers with fragrance, movement and refinement rather than a heavy green mass.
Its open texture allows glimpses of the structure behind it and works particularly well in courtyards, sheltered entrances and seating areas where the flowers can be enjoyed at close range. With thoughtful training, it forms a tall flowering surface while remaining visually lighter than many vigorous climbers.
The combination of a two-tone trumpet, finely divided compound leaves and an open climbing line gives it an instantly recognisable appearance.
The flowers reach around 4–6 cm, with five open lobes in white or the palest pink and a vivid pink to red throat that gives depth to each small cluster.
Each glossy compound leaf is usually divided into 4–7 ovate to lance-shaped leaflets. This keeps the covering airy even after the climber has filled out well.
Its natural flowering calendar runs from spring into summer and, where the mild season is long, it may continue later with successive small clusters of flowers.
Why you will love it: it creates a flowering vertical display with genuine exotic character, without hiding the space behind a solid mass of foliage.
Place it in sun or light partial shade, sheltered from cold wind and frost, with a trellis, pergola or horizontal wires. The slender stems twine but need early guidance. For a permanent outdoor position, allow for a mature supported height of 4–8 m and a relatively narrow lateral spread of around 1–1.5 m; in a colder region, favour a large movable pot.
Keep the base bright with white and blue so the flowers’ deep pink throats remain the focal point. The companion plants favour sun, free-draining soil and summer watering without permanent wetness; leave a clear zone around the woody stem.
Full sun or light partial shade. More direct light generally supports richer flowering, provided the root zone does not dry out.
Keep moisture even while it establishes. Later, water deeply when the surface layer dries, checking more often in a pot and during prolonged heat.
A subtropical, frost-tender climber rated RHS H1C. Keep it permanently outdoors only in a very mild microclimate, with particular protection for young plants.
An ornamental plant, not edible. Avoid ingesting any part and wear gloves when pruning if your skin is sensitive.
The slender stems climb by twining and do not cling to a wall on their own. Provide a trellis, pergola or strong wires and guide two or three main stems with soft ties until they begin to wrap around the support.
Choose the warmest, most sheltered position, with fertile soil that retains some freshness but drains promptly. Avoid frost pockets, strong wind and places where water collects in winter.
Plant in spring at the same depth as the root ball in its pot and water thoroughly. Leave a clear zone at the base, add an organic mulch without touching the stem and secure new growth to the support immediately.
The 19 cm diameter is the current size. For long-term growing, move it gradually into a heavy pot at least 40–50 cm across, with plenty of drainage holes, a stable trellis and unobstructed drainage. This makes it easier to move before severe cold.
During the first year, check the soil frequently and water deeply as soon as the surface starts to dry. An established plant in the ground tolerates short dry intervals, but prolonged summer drought reduces new growth and flowers.
Add mature compost in spring and, in a pot, use a balanced fertiliser during active growth at the stated dose. Excess nitrogen favours long green stems rather than balanced flowering.
After the main flush, shorten very long side shoots and remove tangled or damaged wood. Keep the main framework and retain younger tips, as these carry the small flower clusters.
Where frost is possible, move the pot to a bright, cool, sheltered place before temperatures fall too far. In the ground, protect the base and young framework; in cold weather, reduce watering without allowing the root zone to dry out.
During the first stage, the root system settles and the longest young stems are directed onto the support. The appearance remains open, with wider spaces between the leaves.
As the leaders climb, side shoots fill the gaps and the compound leaves create a fine green mesh. Light pruning keeps the covering within the boundaries of the structure.
In around 5–10 years it can reach 4–8 m on a support, with a narrower lateral spread of 1–1.5 m. Flower clusters appear mainly at the tips of the new branching.
Twining stems carry compound leaves and tubular flowers across a support. The open canopy lets the structure remain partly visible.
The studies show habit and seasonal development; growth varies with age, climate and cultivation.
What to expect after planting: at first you will see slender, long stems searching for the support. Once it establishes and begins to branch laterally, the covering fills out without losing its transparency and the flower clusters gradually become more numerous.
The story of Pandorea jasminoides begins in eastern Australia, from eastern Queensland to north-eastern New South Wales. There it climbs as a woody liana through subtropical, littoral and drier rainforests: it wraps around trunks and branches, crosses bright openings in the vegetation and displays its flowers higher in the canopy. This natural journey explains why it also asks for firm support, warmth and plenty of light to flower generously in the garden.
The plant entered botanical literature in 1837 under the name Tecoma jasminoides. In 1894 it was transferred to the genus Pandorea, where it remains an accepted species in the family Bignoniaceae. The change did not erase its earlier story; it simply gave a more precise place to an Australian climber already valued in cultivation for its trumpets and fine, glossy foliage.
The name Pandorea evokes Pandora’s jar: when the mature woody capsule opens, it releases numerous flat, winged seeds. jasminoides means “jasmine-like”, referring to the plant’s delicate appearance and fragrant flowers. Behind its romantic image lies an entire story of Australian forest, early botanical exploration and ingenious dispersal on the wind.
In Pandorea jasminoides, the five petals are not free: they fuse low down into a tube around 4–6 cm long and open only at the tip into five lobes. Its four fertile stamens remain concealed inside this structure.
The green “lace” is not made from many small independent leaves. Each unit is a pinnately compound leaf, with a shared axis and usually 4–7 leaflets; this allows the canopy to keep a fine texture without losing photosynthetic surface.
After pollination, an elongated capsule may form, becoming woody and opening when ripe. Inside are many thin seeds with winged margins; their increased surface area slows their fall and helps the wind carry them.
Practical answers about hardiness, light, support, pot growing, flowering and pruning for this subtropical climber.
Only in a genuinely mild, sheltered microclimate without significant frost. The RHS rates it H1C, so in colder inland or mountainous regions it is safer in a large pot that can be moved to a bright, protected place for winter.
It flowers most freely with plenty of direct light but accepts light partial shade. In a very hot courtyard, morning sun and light afternoon protection can keep the foliage fresher, provided the position remains bright.
Not on a smooth surface. Its stems twine around slender elements, so it needs a trellis or wires set away from the wall. Guide them initially with loose ties until they find the correct route.
Yes, if it is moved gradually into a heavy pot 40–50 cm across or larger, with a rich but free-draining mix and its own support. A potted plant needs more frequent moisture checks and protection for the roots from severe heat and cold.
The species can flower from a young age, mainly from spring into summer. The exact display depends on light, temperature, root establishment and whether pruning retains enough young flowering tips.
Carry out the main tidy after flowering. Shorten long side shoots to the desired outline and remove tangled or damaged growth, without cutting away all the younger wood that will carry the next flower clusters.
