Periploca graeca - Silkvine

The Periploca graeca, also known as the Greek silkvine, is a deciduous vigorous vine capable of climbing tall trees. Its strength has earned it the nickname tree strangler, although this term is commonly used for a very different species called Celastrus scandens. While the Greek silkvine may not be the most decorative climber, it is useful for providing shade to a pergola in just a few years, while allowing for a clean start in the winter. Bees appreciate its clusters of small star-shaped green and purple flowers, which may be modest in appearance but are plentiful. It is a plant highly resistant to cold winters and dry summers, making it ideal for a Mediterranean garden without irrigation or coastal areas.

The Periploca graeca is a climbing shrub with voluble stems from the apocynaceae family, formerly classified in the Asclepiadaceae family. It is related to Araujia, oleander, and Mandevilla laxa. It is native to the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and the Middle East, and is found in Greece, Italy, Iraq, Turkey, and the Caucasus. Plants in this botanical family have the common characteristic of secreting a visible white latex when their stems are broken. This species has become naturalised along rivers, where it competes with other plants on the water's edge. However, it is much easier to control in gardens, away from wet environments. Once well-established in fairly deep soil, it withstands dry summers, and its stump can withstand -18°C.

Greek silkvine shows very rapid growth and can produce shoots from its stump. Its long voluble stems lignify over time and can exceed 15m in length. They are numerous and intertwine to form dense bushes over large areas. The leaves appear in spring and fall in autumn. They are lanceolate, shiny green with lighter veins, and can measure up to 10cm long. Flowering occurs from April to June, depending on the region. It takes the form of corymbs of small hairy star-shaped flowers. Each flower consists of a calyx with 5 violet segments bordered in green and a discreet corolla with 5 dark pink petals. At the heart of the flower, there are 5 bristles, 5 stamens with velvety filaments, and a ribbed style. After pollination, paired fruits are formed, with two twin pods joined at both ends. They contain numerous flat seeds embedded in bristles.

You can use Periploca graeca to cover a pergola, a trellis, a carport, a fence, an unsightly building, or even an old tree. Maintenance is limited to watering during the first few months and annual pruning once the plant has covered the desired area. Some ideas for combining it in a large garden include Lonicera similis var. delavayi, Wisteria sinensis, or Campsis capreolata.

Disclaimer:

To prevent its spread into the wild, particularly around damp areas, it is advisable to remove the fruit before it ripens.