Adlumia (spongy)

Family Fumariaceae. Occurs wild in northeastern North America.

A vigorous and at the same time extraordinarily graceful biennial climber, in the first year it produces only a rosette of delicate leaves resembling the Adiantum fern, and in the second year it develops long, twining but fragile stems that cling to supports by the leaf petioles. In a single season it can reach 4 m in height; when the stems have nothing to cling to, they hang down attractively. The shoots are glaucous-green with anthocyanin stripes and are covered by a cloud of odd-pinnate light leaves. The leaves are on short petioles, thrice ternately divided; the segments are on thin long stalklets, the central one elongated and twining like a tendril. From June through August the plant is covered with axillary pale pink-purple racemes. Each raceme bears up to 40 flowers — narrow, slightly flattened tubes with protruding anthers. At the end of July new flowers still open in the upper racemes while the lower ones are already forming seeds. The seeds are black and shiny. In cultivation since 1778.

Location: It is advisable to plant Adlumia in open sites, near walls, fences, or on special supports. It tolerates light shade.

Soil: Undemanding; develops well in any cultivated soil.

Propagation: Almost exclusively by seed, which is usually sown at the end of June in cold frames or seed beds (seedlings require abundant moisture). Seedlings are pricked out 15 cm apart. Planting out is done in the first half of September or in early spring. The plant self-seeds, however its taproots are fragile, soil does not adhere to them well, and transplantation is often unsuccessful.

Uses: The delicate pale green leaves, against which numerous small flowers are scattered, create a very pleasing effect. Cut flower stems and the lace-like leaves are used in arrangements. Its lacy, fern-like foliage can also gracefully adorn rocks or serve as additional decoration for living trees.

Companions: Good neighbors for Adlumia are scented sweet peas in muted tones or fire-red runner beans. From these plants you can form multi-tiered fountains. In plantings by walls it can be grown with other climbers that have large flowers, for example, clematis.