Growing Under The Sun: A Botanical Expedition

     Phaseolus caracalla, is a typically a tender perennial vine, native to South America, and hardy to Zone 8 to 11. P. caracalla can tolerate some frost exposure but extended periods will result in the plant dying back to the roots. This can be countered by planting it in a sheltered sunny location or treating the plant as an annual, more on that in a bit. In my own garden this plant typically dies back to a woody base and sends out annually 10 feet of growth. Such growth makes it excellent for covering up unsightly walls or the view of the neighbor’s lawn gnomes. Like many other vines training of growth is crucial in keeping a tight tidy appearance. As with many vines growing on walls we want them to remain 2D not 3D, bulging away from the wall, as such any growth reaching outwards should be removed. The growth is easy to train as it is not woody at all, use a trellis or a fish wire setup as your support system, as this vine climbs in the same manner as clematis weav...