Plant Profile: Cobaea scandens

Names

Cathedral Bells, Coral Bells, Cup and Saucer, Cup-and-saucer Vine, Monastery Bells

  • Photo of Cobaea scandens (Cobaea scandenss)

Phonetic Spelling:ko-BEE-uh SKAN-dens

Genus:Cobaea

Species:scandens

Family:Polemoniaceae

This vibrant tropical perennial vine is often cultivated as an annual, showcasing stunning flowers and thriving in sunny conditions.

To enhance germination, it’s beneficial to file the seeds. However, be cautious with fertilizer; too much can lead to lush foliage but fewer blooms. This plant flourishes in moist, well-drained soil and is ideal for vertical gardening, requiring support from a fence, arbor, or trellis to climb effectively.

In terms of pests, diseases, and other issues, this plant generally faces no significant challenges.

Cobaea scandens Feature Summary

Cobaea scandens Image Gallery

Tags

#purple
#white
#showy flowers
#cream
#fast growing
#bats
#fences
#trellises
#bell shape
#nodding
#beautiful
#tropical vine
#vertical spaces
#malodorus
#arbor
#tropical feel

Similar Plants

Cobaea scandens is often confused with:

Cobaea scandens Feature Summary

Flowers
Bell, cup or funnel-shaped flowers start out green and mature to purple with an unpleasant musky odor when they first open. They hang upside down the vine and have a saucer-like green caylx around them. Flowers will remain on the vine for about 4 days. and they appear from late summer to early fall.
Purple/Lavender
White
Green
fused petals
Funnel
Cup
Bell
Saucer
Leaves
Pinnate leaves with four leaflets
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Vine
Spreading
Cascading
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Moist
24-60 feet
12-24 feet
6-feet-12 feet
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
1a
Landscape
Container
Vertical Spaces

Cobaea scandens Attributes

Cobaea scandens: Country Or Region Of Origin

Mexico

Cobaea scandens: Wildlife Value

Flowers are pollinated by bats.

Cobaea scandens: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Cobaea scandens: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Cobaea scandens: Climbing Method

Clinging
Scrambler
Tendrils
Twining

Cobaea scandens Flowers

Cobaea scandens: Flower Description

Bell, cup or funnel-shaped flowers start out green and mature to purple with an unpleasant musky odor when they first open. They hang upside down the vine and have a saucer-like green caylx around them. Flowers will remain on the vine for about 4 days. and they appear from late summer to early fall.

Cobaea scandens: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Green
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
White

Cobaea scandens: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Cobaea scandens: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Cobaea scandens: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Cobaea scandens: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Cobaea scandens Leaves

Cobaea scandens: Leaf Description

Pinnate leaves with four leaflets

Cobaea scandens: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Cobaea scandens: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Cobaea scandens Whole Plant Traits

Cobaea scandens: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Cobaea scandens: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Cobaea scandens: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Cobaea scandens: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Cobaea scandens Cultural Conditions

Cobaea scandens: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Cobaea scandens: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Cobaea scandens: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Cobaea scandens: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
11a
thermostat
11b
thermostat
1a
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Cobaea scandens Stem

Cobaea scandens: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Cobaea scandens Landscape

Cobaea scandens: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Cobaea scandens: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees