Ceropegia ampliata

Common Names

Bushman's Pipe, Boesmanpypblom, Boesmanpyp, Taper Vine

Summary

Bushman’s pipe is a succulent climbing vine native to Africa, including South Africa and Madagascar, that twines through vegetation and can reach up to 2–3 m in length. Stems are hairless, slender, and succulent with a fleshy tuberous rootstock, and leaves are very small and shed early. Flowers appear at stem nodes in clusters of 2–3, are pale green to white with green markings, and feature a long corolla tube up to 5–7 cm, forming a cage-like structure that traps pollinators; fruits are green with purple freckles and the plant is non-toxic.

Care and cultivation: suitable as a container plant or on a trellis, with bright indirect light and some direct sun; prefers gritty, well-drained soil and sparing watering, letting the top inch of soil dry between waterings; propagation mainly by cuttings containing nodes, with cut ends callused before planting; seeds also workable; minimum temperatures around 16°C are required for growth, and it is typically grown in USDA zones 9a–12; pests include mealybugs, woolly aphids, and red spider; fertilize monthly with a diluted succulent fertilizer during active growth and withhold in winter.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

6-7 feet

Spread

6.6 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 10b-11b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade, can be in full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-draining soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

5.0–7.5 (acid to neutral)

Bloom Color

Green to white, sometimes with a narrow purple band inside

Bloom Time

Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate growth

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Layering, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts flies