Tropaeolum speciosum

RHS Plant Profile

flame nasturtium

Other common names

flame creeper, flame flower, flame Indian cress, Scottish flame flower

Herbaceous Perennial Climber Wall Shrub

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A slender herbaceous climber to 3m, with long fleshy rhizomes and rounded leaves composed of 5-7 obovate leaflets. Long-spurred, bright scarlet flowers 2cm in width are followed by indigo blue berries held in red sepals

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or North–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Tropaeolaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Climbing
Potentially harmful: Skin allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus: Tropaeolum can be annuals or perennials, bushy, trailing or climbing by twining stems, with simple or palmately lobed leaves and showy funnel-shaped flowers with five long-clawed petals and often a spur
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Chile

How to Grow

Cultivation

Thrives in gardens with cool, moist summers. Plant in cool, leafy or humus-rich soil where roots are in the shade with the plant growing into the sun or partial shade, can be grown up evergreen hedges. See perennial nasturtiums and how to grow perennial nasturtiums for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed or division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Wall side borders

Pruning

In early spring, cut the dead growth down to ground level

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly and glasshouse red spider mite and whitefly

Diseases

May be susceptible to virus diseases