Strongylodon macrobotrys (Jade Vine)

Native to the Philippines, it is a woody climbing vine in the Fabaceae family. Its long, pendant clusters carry numerous turquoise or jade-green flowers with curved, claw-shaped petals. The stems climb into surrounding vegetation, and the leaves have three leaflets. Rounded, fleshy pods can contain several seeds. The nectar-rich flowers are thought to be pollinated by bats. Two pigments combine in the slightly alkaline petal cells to produce the unusual turquoise color. Fruit is uncommon in cultivation because plants rarely fertilize themselves successfully, and the seeds remain viable only briefly. Photographed in Armenia, Colombia.