CHARLEY'S PLANT

About five years ago we visited friends in Corpus Christi in January and they had a GORGEOUS plant all along their fence in full bloom with orange flowers. I asked if I could have a cutting or two from their plant and they told me to take what I wanted. I brought home five cuttings and put them in two separate pots. I don't know the real name of our plant, but we have always called it "Charley's Plant" because he is the friend who gave us the plant.

The first spring the cuttings began to grow and send out runners. We kept them in the shade and protected them in the winter but the plants never bloomed. Finally, last summer my husband said that we had to take them out of the pots and plant them in the sun, so he planted them near our fence and put up chicken wire for the plants to climb. They climbed up the chicken wire nicely but never did bloom, even though my husband has watered them faithfully through our drought.

This past February I noticed a touch of orange at the top of Charley's Plant and ran out there. Sure enough, the vine had two gorgeous blooms. Over the past 3-4 weeks the blooms have grown and multiplied beautifully.

I don't think our plants will ever be as beautiful as the ones along our friend's fence line, but I am mighty proud of our plants--and the flowers!

Thanks, Charley--and Gwen!