Petrea volubilis (Queen's Wreath)

A woody climber native to tropical and subtropical America, it belongs to the Verbenaceae family. It has simple, oval to elliptic evergreen leaves with rough upper surfaces. Arching racemes bear short-lived blue to violet flowers. Their lighter, petal-like calyx lobes remain after the corollas fall, gradually drying and turning brown. With support, the twining stems can reach about twenty feet; unsupported plants form shrubs. The persistent calyx also forms wings around the mature fruit. Propagation is by seeds, stem cuttings or layering. Photographed in Colombia and Florida.