Family Pittosporaceae
Originating from Western Australia.
- Evergreen climber with slender dark green leaves on burgundy-red stems.
- Inky blue/purple bell-shaped flowers bloom in profusion from summer to autumn.
- Easy to grow in well-drained soil, full sun, ideal for summer display on patios in pots or conservatories.
A rare blue-flowered climber, Billardiera heterophylla cascades with inky blue/purple bell-shaped blooms. They provide a rich source of pollen for the bees and butterflies of Norfolk and Suffolk from summer to autumn. Nestling among its handsome, slender, dark evergreen leaves, they yield dusky purple slender fruits. Its stems twine elegantly, draping lush foliage over any supporting structure, reaching 1.5m high and 50cm wide in 2–5 years.
Its elegant blooms and foliage bring a chic touch to contemporary patios or sheltered coastal courtyards where it can be viewed from the comfort of an outdoor sofa. It can be grown year-round in conservatories and garden rooms and is ideal for velux-lit open plan living spaces. Alternatively, place on a patio for summer, returning to a frost-free environment for winter.
Care Tips for Bluebell Creeper
- Soil and Sun: Prefers well-drained, neutral to acidic soil; full sun for best blooms.
- Planting: Plant in spring; ensure sharp drainage. Ideal for deep pots.
- Watering: Drench thoroughly during summer, allowing it to dry out between waterings.
- Pruning: Trim stems that cannot be woven into its supporting trellis; otherwise no pruning is required.
In mild southern and coastal gardens, it will thrive planted out in warm protected spots with protection during harsh winter weather. Its small stature makes it ideal for training onto trellises, arbours, pergolas, and walls, where it will not smother or climb rampantly.
It suits pergola walks in Suffolk country gardens or pot displays on Norfolk’s contemporary patios. Billardiera heterophylla’s rare blue flowers and evergreen foliage are essential for any UK garden.
Planting Suggestions for Billardiera heterophylla, the blue climber
Curate a collection of incredible climbing plants for your patio. A rarefied selection of compact twining varieties will create a showy, floriferous display, adding a vertical, flamboyant impact to potted plant groups. Clematis ‘Taiga’, ‘Multi Blue’, and ‘Nubia’ add spectacular detail in a range of rich colours. Clianthus puniceus ‘Maximus’, Hardenbergia violacea f. alba, and Trachelospermum ‘Summer Sunset’ add stunning foliage, flower form, and scent.
Plant a vertical vision of paradise with the Bluebell Creeper beautifying the lower levels of walls or pergolas. Towering above it, Campsis radicans, Akebia quinata, and Passiflora ‘Snow Queen’ make a lofty floral flourish. Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Pink Showers’ and Trachelospermum jasminoides add dizzying scent to climbing compositions.
