Rangoon Creeper(Madhumalathi)

Rangoon Creeper  is a fast-growing, tropical flowering vine that’s popular in gardens for its beautiful, fragrant flowers. 🌸

Botanical Name: Combretum indicum 

• Common Names: Rangoon Creeper, Chinese Honeysuckle, Madhumalati (in Hindi), Akar Dani (in Malay/Indonesian)

• Type: Woody perennial vine

Appearance & Features

• Leaves: Opposite, green, ovate with a smooth texture.

• Flowers:

  • Open white, then turn pink, and later deepen to red as they mature.

  • Appear in clusters, star-shaped, and very fragrant, especially in the evening.

• Growth Habit:

  • A vigorous climbing vine, capable of covering pergolas, trellises, and walls.

  • Can grow up to 2–8 meters or more when supported.

Growing & Care

• Sun Light: Prefers full sun to partial shade. More sun = more flowers.

• Soil: Well-draining, fertile soil enriched with organic matter.

• Watering: Regular watering; tolerates short dry spells once established.

• Pruning: Prune after flowering to encourage bushy growth and more blooms.

Fertilizer

• Balanced fertilizer (e.g., 10:10:10 or 14:14:14 NPK) → for overall growth.

• Phosphorus-rich fertilizer (e.g., 10:20:10) → encourages abundant flowering.

• Potassium (K) → enhances flower color, size, and plant strength.

• Organic options: Compost, vermicompost, cow manure, or liquid seaweed extract.

Uses & Benefits

• Ornamental: Loved for its fragrant, color-changing flowers in home gardens, parks, and along fences.

• Medicinal (traditional): In Ayurveda and folk medicine, seeds and roots are used for digestive issues and parasitic infections—but caution is advised, as seeds can be toxic if not used properly.

• Attracts Wildlife: Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.