Common Name:

General Information

Pyrostegia venusta is a vigorous, evergreen, climbing shrub with stems that can grow up to 24 metres long. Branching profusely, the plant attaches itself to nearby vegetation by means of twining and by tendrils produced as the centre leaflet of some leaves[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is often grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its profusion of brilliant orange-red flowers and its ability to rapidly form a screen[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical and subtropical Americas from northern Argentina north to western Mexico

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Pyrostegia venusta is capable of withstanding short-lived, light frosts and is cultivated from the subtropics to the tropics.
Prefers a fertile, well-drained soil with some shade[]. Plants require a dry period in order to initiate flowering[]. Established plants are drought tolerant.
Pyrostegia venusta is a vigorous, fast-growing plant that is commonly grown as an ornamental. It should, however, be planted with caution because it can escape from cultivation and has been known to cover, then strangle, trees with its rampant growth. It has become naturalized in much of central Florida where is often seen in flower during the winter and spring, growing in trees. The plant is considered an invasive weed in Australia[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The sap extracted from the stem is used to treat coughs[].

The plant is said to be tonic and antidiuretic[]. It is used as a general tonic and also for the treatment of conditions such as diarrhoea, dysentery, leucoderma and vitiligo, as well as common diseases of the respiratory tract, such as bronchitis, flu, and cold[].


The plant contais various medicinally active compounds, including terpenoids, alkaloids, tannins, steroids, and saponins[].

Plant extracts have shown significant antioxidant activity due to the flavonoids and b-carotene, and the plant is of potential use as a natural antioxidant and scavenger of free radicals[].[].
Studies support the usefulness of the plant in traditional therapies for treating disorders like flu and colds, that induce sickness behaviors[].
An extract of the plant has shown potent wound healing capacity as shown by wound contraction and increased tensile strength of the skin[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Capable of covering everything that can offer a good support, the plant can quickly produce an effective screen. Heavy or frequent pruning is needed to restrain it to trellises or arbors, but the brilliant flower display makes this extra work worth the effort. It is ideal for covering fences but will often produce most of the flowers and foliage at the top of the fence. Regularly heading back several of the stems can help develop some of the flowers and foliage on the lower and middle portions of the fence.

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 2 - 3 nodes long.
Layering
Suckers.

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