Queens Wreath

Petrea volubilis

• ​Common Name: Queens Wreath (other common names: Purple wreath, Sandpaper vine, Bluebird vine, and Florida wisteria).
  
• Scientific Name: Petrea volubilis
  
• Family Name: Verbenaceae
  
• Origin: West Indies. This tropical plant has a large native range. It can be found growing south from Southern Mexico through Central America on into northern and western South America down to Paraguay. Queen's wreath is also found growing in Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola.
  
• Height: 6’ – 12’ (without pruning back it can reach up to 40’ height also depends on support structure)
  
• Width: 3’ – 6’ (depends on supporting structure)
  
• Growth: Fast growing and spreading.
  
• Zone: 10B -11
  
• Light Needs: Full sun – partial shade (prefers full sun but tolerates light shade, but blooms less in shade).
  
• Salt Tolerance:  Soil salt tolerance is poor.
  
• Soil/PH/Texture: Clay, sand or loam soils, acidic to neutral (pH 5.6 – 7.5).
  
• Soil Moisture: Medium – Average water needs, do not overwater.
  
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate once established.
  
• Pests/Diseases: No serious insect or disease problems, but it can be susceptible to mold. Watch for mealybugs, scale and occasionally spider mites.
  
• Growing Conditions: Medium maintenance, can be maintained as a shrub or a small, single- or multiple-trunked tree.
  
• Characteristics: This evergreen has leaves that have the texture of sandpaper, green, arranged in a whorled pattern, simple, oval, 4“– 8” in length, and pinnate venation. The star-like flowers bloom multiple times in a year, most profusely between the months of February – June. The flowers are densely packed in a form (called raceme) that, from a distance, resembles a bunch of grapes. The actual flowers are small and light blue or purplish. They will eventually fall, leaving the calyces. A calyx is the base of a flower and is usually green, but queen's wreath boasts purple calyces as attractive as the true flower petals. The calyces will persist for several weeks, providing your landscape with a little extended color. While the purple-flowered Queen's Wreath is more common, there is also a white-flowered cultivar, 'Albiflora' but it is rare. This beauty is considered "variably deciduous”, which means that some plants may drop all leaves during the winter while others only drop some, this depends on climate and weather in your area.
  
• Propagation: By cuttings, air layers, division of root suckers and seed.
  
• Wildlife: Attractive to bees, birds and butterflies.
  
• Facts: Unknown
  
• Designer Considerations: It can be trained to grow on a trellis, arbor, pergola, fence or other supporting structures. They also work well in hanging baskets.​
  

Location

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Queens Wreath