Pandorea jasminoides ‘Jam Drop’

Pandorea 'Jam Drop' (Pandorea jasminoides 'Jam Drop') is a compact bower vine bred for balconies and narrow beds, climbing to around 3m with a spread of about 1.5m. The flowers are white trumpets with a deep pink throat, carried in flushes through the warmer months against glossy evergreen foliage. It is an Australian native, it grows fast, and it is easier to keep in bounds than the older bower vines.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers with a painted throat. Clean white trumpets with a deep pink centre, produced in flushes rather than one brief burst.
• Compact for a climber. At around 3m it covers a fence panel or a balcony screen without the annual wrestle a vigorous vine demands.
• Evergreen cover. The glossy foliage holds year round, so a screen planted for privacy stays a screen through winter.
• Native and bird friendly. Native to eastern Australia, and small birds shelter in the twiggy growth. Coastal salt, humidity and dry spells are all handled once established.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 1m apart along a fence or trellis for a dense screen. Wires or mesh are essential, since this is a twining climber and it has no way to grip a bare wall or paling.

Balconies and courtyards. A 400mm to 500mm pot with a trellis holds it well, which is the main reason this compact selection exists.

Feature planting. Run it over an arch, a pergola post or a letterbox frame where the flower throats sit at eye level.

Growing pandorea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, though it accepts a few hours of shade. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and takes light frost only, so in cold winter districts grow it against a warm north facing wall or keep it potted and sheltered.

Soil. Free draining, enriched with compost before planting. It will not sit in wet clay, so mound the bed if drainage is poor, and mulch 75mm deep clear of the stem.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first summer while the roots take hold, then only through dry spells. Feed with a controlled release native or general purpose fertiliser in early spring and again after the first flowering flush.

Pruning and training. Tie the leading stems onto the support early and spread them sideways, because a vine trained horizontally flowers along its whole length instead of only at the top. Trim lightly after each flush, and cut a tangled plant back hard in late winter. It reshoots strongly.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown as tube stock, so plants arrive young at roughly 15cm to 25cm, often with a single trailing stem and not much else. Climbers catch up quickly: put the support in at planting, tie the stem on, and expect cover across a fence panel by the end of the second warm season. Flowering usually begins in the second year.

Plants are packed upright and 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

• Browse the full range of climbing plants
• Softening fences and retaining walls with climbers
• More Australian native plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One metre apart along a fence or trellis. At that spacing the vines meet within two warm seasons and give even cover rather than thick patches with gaps between them.

Will it climb a brick wall on its own?

No. It twines rather than clinging, so it needs wires, mesh or a trellis to hold on to. Fixing the support before planting saves a good deal of untangling later.

How big does it get compared with a normal bower vine?

About 3m tall and 1.5m wide, which is roughly half the reach of the standard form. That is the point of this selection: the same flower on a plant that suits a balcony or a small courtyard.