Flat White™ Bower Vine

Flat White Bower Vine (Pandorea jasminoides 'PJ01') is a compact, dense form of the native bower vine, bred by Ozbreed for narrow spaces. It climbs 2m to 3m up a fence or trellis and can be held to 40cm to 60cm wide with two prunes a year, or allowed to spread 80cm to 2m, and through the warmer months it carries masses of pure white trumpet flowers against glossy green leaves.

Why you'll love it

• Pure white flowers for months. The trumpets open from spring through summer and into autumn, clean white without the pink throat of the common form.
• Dense and compact. Tighter foliage than the species means it covers a fence rather than draping it in bare stems.
• Made for narrow spaces. A side passage, a pool fence or a courtyard wall gets a green flowering screen only half a metre deep.
• Climbs or trails. Without a support it rambles as a groundcover and trails down slopes and retaining walls.
• Two prunes a year. That is the whole maintenance list for a tight, narrow climber.

Where it works best

Fences and trellises. Plant 50cm to 1m apart along the fence line, one to three plants per linear metre, and tie the young stems to the wires until they take hold. It twines rather than clings, so it needs something to wrap around.

Narrow spaces. Pruned twice a year it holds at 40cm to 60cm wide, which makes it one of the few flowering screens that suits a side boundary or a courtyard wall.

Slopes and retaining walls. Left without a support it spreads 80cm to 2m wide as a rambling groundcover and spills over the top of a wall.

Growing Flat White Bower Vine in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with the most flower in sun. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean climates: south Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. Frost tolerance is moderate, so in cold districts give it a warm wall and expect some leaf burn after a hard frost.

Soil. Most soil types suit it, provided water drains away.

Water and feed. Water as needed for the first 8 to 13 weeks, with a chunky mulch over the roots. Once established it has good drought tolerance. A slow release fertiliser in spring is optional.

Pruning. Give it a first prune a few months after planting to encourage branching from the base. Then prune twice a year for a narrow, tight climber; left unpruned it spreads wider and flowers just as well.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Flat White Bower Vine in 140mm pots in packs of 10, enough for 5m to 10m of fence at the recommended spacing. Young plants arrive as a few twining stems on a small stake. They travel well and start climbing within weeks of planting in warm weather, so give each one a wire or trellis from the first day.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Our bower vine care guide
• Browse our climbing plants
• See the full Ozbreed range
• More plants for small gardens and narrow spaces

Common questions

Will it damage a fence?

No. It twines around wires and slats rather than gripping with suckers, so there is nothing to pull render or paint away. It does need wires or a trellis to climb.

How far apart should I plant it?

Plant 50cm apart for quick cover of a fence, or up to 1m apart if you can wait an extra season. That is one to three plants per linear metre.

Is it frost hardy?

Moderately. It takes the light frosts of the lowlands and coastal districts, but in a frost pocket plant it against a north facing wall and expect some leaf burn in a hard winter.