San Marcos Growers LogoSan Marcos Growers
New User
Wholesale Login
Enter Password
Home Products Purchase Gardens About Us Resources Contact Us
Nursery Closure
Search Utilities
Plant Database
Search Plant Name
Detail Search Avanced Search Go Button
Search by size, origins,
details, cultural needs
Website Search Search Website GO button
Search for any word
Site Map
Retail Locator
Plant Listings

PLANT TYPE
PLANT GEOGRAPHY
PLANT INDEX
ALL PLANT LIST
PLANT IMAGE INDEX
PLANT INTROS
SPECIALTY CROPS
NEW  2024 PLANTS

PRIME LIST
  for DECEMBER


Natives at San Marcos Growers
Succulents at San Marcos Growers
 Weather Station

 
Products > Pithecoctenium crucigerum
 
Pithecoctenium crucigerum - Monkey-comb

Note: This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.  
Image of Pithecoctenium crucigerum
[2nd Image]
Habit and Cultural Information
Category: Vine
Family: Bignoniaceae (Bignonias)
Origin: Central America (North America)
Evergreen: Yes
Flower Color: Creamy White
Bloomtime: Spring
Synonyms: [Amphilophium crucigerum, P.echinatum]
Height: Climbing (Vine)
Width: Spreading
Exposure: Sun or Shade
Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs
Winter Hardiness: 30-32° F
Pithecoctenium crucigerum (Monkey-comb) - An evergreen to semi-evergreen vine with 3 soft leaflets with the middle one often becoming a tendril that helps support the plant. In late spring, there is a short but beautiful bloom of creamy white flowers with yellow throats that arise vertically and arch over to face out from the plant, making for a very showy display. As the flowers mature they darken so that each flower is entirely yellow. Plant in full sun or part shade, with moderate watering. Remains evergreen to 30-32° F and stems are hardy to mid 20's ° F. This plant is native from southern Mexico south to Brazil. The name for the genus comes from the Greek words 'pithekos' (or Latin 'pitheco') meaning an "ape" or a "monkey" and 'ctenion' meaning a comb in reference to the spiny fruit that can develop which could be used as a comb. The common name Monkey-comb makes this same reference but we have never seen our plants produce this fruit here in Santa Barbara. This vine graces the corner of our sales office and is often in full bloom in June. There is some confusion over this vine and an Argentine species. P. cynchoides which is also white with yellow streaks in the throat but does not have P. crucigerum's characteristic bent floral tube and it is notably similar to the more tropical Brazilian Yellow Trumpet Vine, Anemopaegma chamberlaynii, which has a darker yellow flowers and darker green leaves will ciliate margins. This plant was originally described as Bignonia crucigera but according to The Plant list the current name for this taxa is Amphilophium crucigerum. Since we have long grown it under the name Pithecoctenium and so not to confuse customers (or our own employees), we continue to list it under this older name. We grew this plant from 1997 until 2017. 

The information about Pithecoctenium crucigerum displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.

 
  [MORE INFO]