Hi Penfold...it certainly could be flower buds...but it might be new growths as well? A few more days and I think it will be easier to tell for sure. Keeping fingers crossed they are buds in progress.

Ok, I patiently waited a few more days. I'm now reasonably sure that they are flowers. Here's a comparison of a new vine, and what I suspect to be flower buds.

But at this rate it may be a while before I see any flowers. And who knows if they'll even make it that far. It's probably better if I just forget about it for a while, but I don't see that happening, lol. I'll post an update if they open.

-Chris

Yay!! Chris, its definitely looking a lot more like buds to me also. Especially when you compare it to the new leaves on the left side of your picture. Congrats!! I'm with you that it will be very hard not to check on it every day,lol...Keep us posted and best of luck!

Well congrats, and I hope they bloom for you.

I have a ciliata that grows great, no buds though.

Renee

Thanks guys.

This all happened immediately after I took a cutting, so that seems to be what caused it. But I'm taking the opposite approach with my other Eriostemmas, and letting them climb high up into the greenhouse rafters. I've noticed the leaves on E. afinis are getting significantly larger as it climbs. I have to say I'm quite hooked on these guys. I just hope I have enough light way up here in MN to see some flowers. But the vines alone are pretty cool with their big fuzzy leaves.

-Chris

Well I guess a year of growth did the trick. These just opened in the last few days.

I'm wondering if I'll see flowers on any of my other Eriostemmas now. They've climbed about 12' to the peak of the greenhouse, and are on their way back down again.

-Chris

Nice, Chris!! That's very exciting. You're becoming the king of Minnesotan Eriostemmas, I guess.

So, in your post above, last year, you said that the leaves on the afinis got larger as they got closer to the light source - approximately how large are you talking?

Beautiful! ~ Mary

Thanks guys!

GG, it's a bit difficult to tell which species is which now, but some of the biggest Eriostemma leaves are a little over 5" long and 3.5" wide. The vines get thicker as well.

-Chris

Very nice! Congratulations! The flowers are beautiful, and I just love the deep red color.

Nice! The flowers are very beautiful. Great growing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dorys Botanical Wanderings