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Emin's strophanthus

Strophanthus eminii

Also called Poison Arrowvine, Spider Tresses

Emin's strophanthus
Photo: Walter Busse (Fotograf), Lichtdruck von J.B.Obernetter, München, Public domain

Emin's strophanthus is a climbing liana, shrub or small tree from African dry woodland, grown for its fragrant flowers. It is a tropical plant that needs warmth, bright light and well-drained soil.

Family
Apocynaceae (Dogbane family)
Grows as
Tree, Shrub, Climber
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Water moderately during the growing season and allow the top of the soil to dry between waterings; reduce water in the dry season.
Soil
Free-draining sandy loam or a standard potting mix with added grit.
Temperature
18–30 °C; protect below 10 °C
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Toxic: All parts contain cardiac glycosides (strophanthin-type compounds) that can disrupt heart function if eaten; the plant has been used as an arrow poison.
Native range
Tanzania to N. Zambia
Climate
seasonally dry tropical

About

Strophanthus eminii is a species of flowering plant in the Apocynaceae family. It is referred to by the common name Emin's strophanthus, and grows as a liana up to 10 metres (33 ft) long or as a shrub or small tree up to 7 metres (23 ft) tall, with a stem diameter up to 6 centimetres (2.4 in). Its fragrant flowers feature a pink with white turning red corolla tube, white turning yellow with red spots and streaks inside. Vernacular names for the plant include "spider tresses" and "poison arrow vine". Its habitat is deciduous woodland or rocky bushland, from 600 metres (2,000 ft) to 1,650 metres (5,400 ft) altitude. Strophanthus eminii is used in local medicinal treatments for snakebites, skin diseases and wounds and also as an anthelmintic. The plant has been used as arrow poison. It is native to Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia.

Other Strophanthus plants

Elephant Vine · Wood Shaving Flower · Tailless Tail Flower · Goat Horns · Ouabain · Kombe arrow poison · Preuss' strophanthus · Strophanthus · Forest Poisonrope · Strophanthus welwitschii · Strophanthus

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Strophanthus eminii by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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