NATIVE RANGE: South America

FIRST FINDING IN SLOVENIA: not yet found in Slovenia

PATHWAYS: horticulture

POSSIBLE TO FIND: Year-round

FLOWERING SEASON: April-May

DESCRIPTION: Twining, evergreen climber. Leaves opposite, almost triangular in shape, with acute apex, broadly cuneate to truncate base and entire margins. Young leaves are finely pubescent, older leaves shortly tomentose only on the underside. Many strongly fragrant flowers develop on the stems. These are about 2 cm wide with 5 white, purple or pink petals and 5 erect, green sepals. Fruits are pear-shaped pods, containing numerous black seeds, bearing silky hairs which assist in wind dispersion, 8–10 cm long, widest at the base and narrowest towards the tip.

HABITAT: Growing both in the sun and partial shade. As an invasive species occurring in degraded areas, partially overgrown with woody vegetation, in forests and on rocky sites.

STATUS: Largely restricted to Mediterranean parts of Spain and France, with few records from other countries. Not yet found in Slovenia

SIMILAR SPECIES: none

SOURCE: Field Guide to Invasive Alien Species in European Forests