Quisqualis indica, Combretum indicum
Family: Combretaceae
Rangoon Creeper, Burma Creeper, Chinese Honeysuckle
Origin: Burma, Malay Peninsula, New Guinea, and the Philippine Islands
Called Cocuisa in Dominican Republic. An extremely beautiful shrubby vine with pale-pink to deep crimson star shaped flowers that are borne in tight clusters, covering the entire plant when in full bloom. It’s scent is unforgettable, sweet, fruity and intoxicating. Grows best at temperatures above 40 degrees. The fragrant flowers are born in clusters and each flower has many variations of color, depending on how old the flower is. The flower starts out white and or pink striped and turn solid pink and finally dark pink on maturity. Leaves – opposite, oblong or obovate. Flowers – short, axillary and terminal drooping racemes, white first and then rosy or scarlet, with a narrow tube. Fruit; oblong, with sharp angles, glabrous, black. Flowers and fruits during May to September. It will die back in lower temperatures but should come back in the spring. The most popular Thai hybrid has double flowers.
