My 1998 copy of (American) Ken Druse's Great Collector's GARDEN PLANTS describes a pretty little climber called Cup and saucer vine, Cobaea scandens, aka Monastery bells or Cathedral bells. A fast growing, twining plant, it has large pale green bell shaped flowers which darken to mauve then purple. It went onto my 'must have' list and I looked about for a spot where one could grow.
The next time I saw a reference to C. scandens was in my Australian Gardener's Companion to WEEDS, where it was listed as invasive with a caution to be wary. Not to be daunted I began my search for one - by now there was an empty trellis on the new pergola waiting to be covered. None of my usual plant nurseries had ever heard of the plant - nor could they find it in the stock lists of their major suppliers. One suggested that its known invasive habits may have had it banned from local use.
Next stop, the Web. First the good news - available from a mail order supplier in Sydney - Guruna Nursery.
Then the not-so-good - the plant is totally banned in Wellington NZ: -
Cobea scandens, the cup and saucer vine or cathedral bells, within the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) at least, is banned from sale, propagation, distribution or commercial display. Existing plants must be reported to the ARC.
I have now contacted my local council for details of all plants banned here. The trellis awaits, empty.
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