PlantFiles: Mexican Flame Vine, Orange Glow Vine
Senecio confusus

Always provides a riot of blooms. The Queen butterflies love this stuff!!!

Have found it very easy to root. I take tip cuttings, dip them into hormone powder and push the stem down into small blocks of wet floral foam. It helps to use a skewer or something thin to make a hole in the wet floral foam first as most tip cuttings are easily bent. I keep the wet floral foam moist and within a few days the roots start growing out it. Plant the cutting in the block of wet floral foam directly into the soil or a pot.

See photo in the plant files.

~ Cat

In the new Flora of North America this is listed as Pseudogynoxys chenopodiodes (2006 Vol. 20 pg. 608)

Got mine from simple cuttings from my mother's vine - and has already grown to about one foot in a month. So very easy to propagate! I am experimenting with mingling vines on a lattice work fence that we're trying to completely cover for privacy. (I got this idea thanks to a post I saw in the vines forum.) I'm blending this with confederate jasmine. I'll post photos when they grow a bit.

Described well by others--mine blooms in about six flushes a year. I trim it back slightly after each flush has finished to get rid of the seed pods and tidy it up. I severly prune it in the spring---I have not had mine freeze back, but I know those who are more susceptible to freeze here, have--but it comes right back. I cut mine way back a month ago and it is starting to bloom now. Very fast growing, I have started a few from cuttings. I grow it on a trellis that shields my a/c and water treatment stuff. Wide variety of butterflies, bees, dragonflies nectar on it.
I got mine three years ago at Florida Native Plant--it is not a Florida Native but is Florida friendly. --never seen it at Home Depot--It does show up at the butterfly club and my garden club at plant sales and raffles.
I don't think it requires extra water but mine gets it as I have my tomatoes and herb garden at its feet.

Dear,

Please take note that this plant changed of genus.
Now for the moment(!!) you have to call them Pericalis.
Greetings,
Albert

I planted it, so I can't compain too much that now I have LOTS of this plant. It is pretty easy to pull up from where I don't want it, and if when we get a freeze (none in the last two years) that will control it as well! I let it climb into some of my live oaks and sour orange trees, and it looks great peeking out. I have seen it take over tree canopies in Miami, but I just don't think that is possible this far north.

We live in Dade City in Central Florida. Bought my Flame Vine at Home Depot in April 2003, in a one inch pot. It's planted at the base of a chain link fence in a mostly shady spot. The soil is sandy and the plant has had to compete for space with my passion plants. ( I have 9 variety's)

I watered very little, never fertilized and let the Flame Vine alone. This area is sub-tropical, very hot and humid. It grew up the fence and into my Live-oak.
Their is now a big patch of bright flowers thirty feet up the Live Oak Tree

San Antonio, Tx.
This is fast growing Mexico native perennial vine that produces blooms until the first hard freeze. The arrowhead- shaped succulent-like deep green leaves are serrated on the edges and are similar to German Ivy. The brilliant bright orange 1 inch in diameter flowers appear in small clusters. As they age and after pollination, the blooms change to almost red. The seedheads resemble smaller versions of dandelion seedheads.

It has high heat tolerance, low water requirements and is seldom bothered by pests. This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and birds. Senecio confusus means "confused old man" which probably refers to the vine's growth habit - it needs to be provided with some sort of support or it will grow into a tangled mass where it supports itself.

It can be propagated by seeds, cuttings or layering. The vine naturally forms roots where it touches the ground. Because the seeds require light to germinate, they need to be kept at the surface of the soil.

I call this my HAPPY PLANT! It grows quickly here and is covered with bright orange flowers! I have it growing on an 18ftX 10ft wrought iron trellis with allamanda and between both plants, the trellis is covered in a patchwork of yellow and oranges!

Dies to the ground in mild frost, but comes back fast from roots. Twines to 8-10 ft. Light green, rather fleshy leaves are 1-4 in. long, 1/2-1 in. wide, coarsely toothed, large clusters of startling, orange-red blooms with golden centers appear at branch ends. Will bloom all year where winters are mild. Provide light soil, regular water. Full sun, or very light shade. Use on trellis or collumn, let cascade over bank, wall, or plant in hanging basket. Propagation by cutting or seed.