Snail Vine

This vining member of the bean family is one of the most intriguing plants we’ve ever grown! The uniquely shaped flowers actually resemble small snails! The fragrance of these distinct blooms is thought to be reminiscent of hyacinths, and Thomas Jefferson called this plant “the most beautiful bean in the world.” Perennial in its native region of Central and South America, snail vine is typically grown as an annual in areas that experience frost. We enjoyed an abundance of fragrant flowers all summer long, and are so excited to offer this incredible and wonderful vining plant! Rare and hard to find.

• Annual
• Full Sun/Part Shade
• Sprouts in 10-20 Days
• Seed Depth: Surface Sow w/ light cover
• Ideal Temperature: 75-85 F
• Plant Spacing: 12-18″
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cochliasanthus caracalla
• Growing Tips

  Cochliasanthus caracalla tends to have a high dormancy. We recommend using a fingernail clipper to clip the back of the seeds away from the hilum, “the eye-looking part of the seed.” Be careful not to cut too close to the Hilum, where the seed embryo is located. Sow indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. Keep damp until germinated, and increase humidity with a plastic dome. Sow seeds twice as deep as the seed is big. Set transplants out . Plant in full sun/filtered shade. Snail vine thrives in late spring or cool-summer conditions. Deadhead regularly. Vines can reach over 10′ long in a single summer, so be sure to grow up a trellis, arbor, arch, or fence.