Pelican Flower is a tropical woody vine that produces some of the most dramatically oversized blooms you'll encounter in a garden. Its enormous pouch-like flowers, reaching up to 2 feet long and 1 foot across, arrive in early summer dressed in rich burgundy velvet traced with ivory white veins. This fast-growing evergreen climber thrives in USDA Zones 10-12, where it can reach heights of 15 to 20 feet, and rewards gardeners with fragrant, showy flowers that genuinely attract butterflies and other pollinators. The flowers' unusual form is said to resemble a Dutchman's pipe, hence its common name, though at a scale that feels almost theatrical.
Partial Sun
Moderate
10-12
240in H x 72in W
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High
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The flowers themselves are the main event here, and they deliver in ways most vines cannot. A single bloom can stretch 2 feet long and 1 foot across, with burgundy velvet petals netted in distinctive ivory veins that create an almost architectural pattern. This vine grows quickly and maintains its evergreen foliage year-round in warm climates, so you get structure and interest beyond the blooming season. It's remarkably low-maintenance once established, asking only for moderate water, part to full sun, and a sturdy structure to climb on.
Pelican Flower is grown primarily as an ornamental vine for its extraordinary flowers. Its role in the garden is architectural and focal; gardeners train it over pergolas, arbors, and trellises where the enormous blooms can be appreciated up close. In warm climates where it thrives year-round, it serves as a living sculpture that commands attention during its blooming period and provides lush evergreen screening the rest of the year.
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Prune Pelican Flower in late winter to early spring as needed to manage its vigorous growth and maintain the shape you want. Since it's a fast-growing woody vine, regular pruning helps control its spread and encourages fuller branching. Remove any dead or damaged wood, and thin out crossing canes to improve air circulation through the foliage.
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