California Gardens - The Year Round Gardening Site

Dalechampia dioscoreifolia ~ Purple Wings, Costa Rican Butterfly Vine

Dalechampia dioscoreifolia can provide all of the color of Bougainvillea without the mess. The large purple wings are bracts. The flowers are those little orange bits in the middle. Dalechampia dioscoreifolia is native to South and Central America. While the Costa Rican Butterfly Vine prefers a moist location it is quite successful in a dry setting. Dalechampia dioscoreifolia is hardy in temperatures that dip into the low 20°s F. The vines can grow to 15-20 feet with support. Some people have a skin reaction with the hairs from the dried foliage.

Dalechampia dioscoreifolia, Purple Wings, Costa Rican Butterfly Vine

Flowers and foliage of Dalechampia dioscoreifolia known as Purple Wings or Costa Rican Butterfly Vine. High resolution photos are part of our garden image collection.