The railroad vine has also been called the goat’s foot vine and is botanically known as Ipomoea pes-caprae. It is a fast growing drought tolerant perennial vine from the morning glory family of plants, also known as the Convolvulaceae family. There are over 500 species of morning glory known to exist today.
While the plant was first described by Carl von Linne, a Swedish botanist more well known as Carl Linneas, it was then set into its current genus classification in 1818 by a Robert Brown, a Scottish botanist.
Able to spread nearly 100 feet long, the railroad vine is typically only a few inches tall. Leaves are leathery and evergreen on a flexible stem. Flowers are funnel-like and only open in the morning. Blooms are usually pink or lavender purple in color with a bloom season from May through November. It should be planted in full sun conditions and can live in any type of soil. Propagate by seed or cuttings in USDA hardiness zones of 8 through 11.
Ipomoea pes-caprae has been used in places that require a good and hardy ground cover. It spreads well and has been used in a variety of harsh conditions such as wind, salt and heat.
This plant is drought tolerant, so it does not require supplemental watering to survive. It can stabilize areas like sand dunes with its rooting, thereby preventing erosion. It makes for a great beach ground cover because of this drought and heat tolerance and its ability to root at nodes along the dunes.
The railroad vine was said to be used in the Carib Indian tribe as a relief to evil spells. The Carib Indians used the vine in a type of ritual bath that was intended to soothe the spirits and ease the power of the evil spell placed on the bather. It has also been used as a jellyfish sting remedy. For these stings, the leaf juice was used to treat and relieve the pain associated with the jellyfish sting.
The railroad vine is a great addition to the landscape, especially in hot sandy locales or in instances when gardeners have a large section of landscape that requires an easy-to-grow and low-maintenance ground cover. It is both pretty and functional, making it a great plant. For those needing it not to be so ‚”wild and free,” it can be well contained with a bit of pruning.
Source:
Floridata
Most homeowners have probably spent hours looking at the different types of garden seeders. You may have even come across…
When it comes to vehicle lovers, cleaning their cars on a regular basis is essential to maintaining the paint job's…
Gas chainsaws are the perfect tool for a variety of outdoor tasks, including chopping up logs for firewood, clearing brush…
A home can be a daunting project, one that takes some time and energy to maintain. With hard work, determination,…
Today ginger is grown all over tropical and subtropical regions in Asia, in parts of Africa and South America, and…
Onions are one of the most popular vegetables in the world, and growing onions is a snap in the home…