Alba Cup and Saucer Vine is a stunning white-flowered cultivar of Cobaea scandens that transforms vertical spaces into living tapestries of pristine blooms from summer through fall. This vigorous climber reaches 10 to 20 feet tall, producing delicate cup-shaped flowers that attract pollinators throughout the growing season. Hardy in zones 9, it germinates quickly and flowers within 98 to 112 days from seed, rewarding patient gardeners with months of ethereal white blooms that stand in striking contrast to the vine's lush green foliage.
8
Full Sun
Moderate
9-9
240in H x 24in W
—
High
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The pure white flowers of this cultivar arrive in abundance from June through November, creating an almost ethereal display as the vine climbs. Unlike its more commonly seen purple counterpart, this alba form offers a subtle elegance that brightens shaded corners and provides long-season visual interest. Starting from seed indoors just 6 to 8 weeks before planting out yields vigorous plants that quickly establish and begin flowering within about 100 days, making it surprisingly fast for a tender perennial vine.
Alba Cup and Saucer Vine is grown primarily as an ornamental climber for trellising, arbors, and vertical garden structures where its abundant white flowers can be displayed against walls or fencing. The vine's rapid growth and long bloom period from summer into fall make it valuable for creating seasonal screening and adding height and texture to garden compositions.
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Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds on their edge and just barely cover them with soil, keeping pots at 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintain evenly moist (never saturated) soil; expect seedlings to emerge in 10 to 25 days. Keep seedlings in these warm, slightly humid conditions until they're ready to harden off and transplant outdoors after frost danger has passed.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after the last frost date in your region. Space plants 8 inches apart in prepared soil enriched with compost. Ensure vines have sturdy support structures like trellises, arbors, or stakes in place at planting time to guide their vigorous upward growth from the start.
Direct sow is possible in areas with longer growing seasons; sow seeds in place after the last frost date, placing seeds on their edge and just covering them with soil.
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